The Seven Year War :: The First Strike
by Melody Canta
Summary: When something goes wrong in the present, it's up to Apollo Justice to investigate the past. What he doesn't know is that he's following the footsteps of Kiria Nomura, Phoenix Wright's former protégée and the victor of some of the most famous trials of the century. Using the MASON System, he must piece together what happened to this legendary attorney so that he can solve the . . .
1. Prologue: The Future Turnabout

This is Part One of the Seven Year War Chronicles.

Kiria Nomura, Nathaniel Price, and any character that isn't Capcom's creation is mine. Any character that is Capcom's, as well as the original plotline, is Capcom's. I wish it was mine though.

FULL SUMMARY: When something goes wrong in the present, it's up to Apollo Justice to investigate the past. What he doesn't know is that he's following the footsteps of Kiria Nomura, Phoenix Wright's former protégée and the victor of some of the most famous trials of the century. Using the MASON System, he must piece together what happened to this legendary attorney so that he can solve the mystery of where she went and why she disappeared.

Rated T for intense situations, violence, minor adult themes, language, and drug use.

* * *

**Prologue :: The Future Turnabout**

_Could they really be asking what I thought they were asking?_ I was expecting to see everyone's faces break from their uniform pleading to a round of laughter as they pulled off their stunt, but their faces weren't changing. If anything, Trucy was turning on her puppy-dog eyes full force. "Pleaaaaaaaaaase, Polly?" she asked. Her hands were clasped together, lip stuck out in a pout, leaning towards me like she was halfway to grovelling on her knees if I didn't say anything soon.

Beside her, Pearl looked like she was going to cry at the thought that I wouldn't agree.

So I took a deep breath to actually think this crazy idea over. If I agreed, I would be weeding through seven years of solved cases to try to locate a girl who was supposedly dead. I fiddled with my bracelet. It would be good experience, watching all of these cases. On the other hand, it would require the use of the MASON system, which I was beginning to dislike very much. I'd have almost a whole week without clients. Besides, what happened if I couldn't help?

"Why can't you do this again?" I asked Mr. Wright.

He only grimaced. "I did. Last week. But I experienced it; I know what's there. If I could solve this with my biased eyes, I would have done it a year ago."

"So, you just want a set of fresh eyes?" I clarified. "But why me? Why not Prosecutor Gavin or someone else?"

"Gavin experienced some of it. He knew her. He doesn't have fresh eyes," Mr. Edgeworth explained. He was perched on the edge of the couch, Ms. von Karma sitting next to him.

I pondered that. I was really the only person in the room who hadn't personally known Kiria Nomura, and judging by the newspaper article I'd read last year, I never would. _"Famed International Attorney Commits Suicide,"_ the headline read. It had been vague, but the picture had said everything crystal clear. Hanging from a single string, a life taken in broad daylight, in front of a crowd of people. It had been theatrical. Iconic. A film was even set to come out this year surrounding the hazy circumstances of the death.

And this room full of people . . . they wanted me to get her back.

"She's not dead, if that's what you're afraid you'll find," Maya volunteered. Inky tendrils of hair fell into her face as she smiled. "I can't channel her, so she _can't_ be dead."

"Oh, come on, Polly! You can't _not_ take it! She was you! She sat in your chair and did your job! Aren't you at least curious about her?" Trucy was pushing all of the right buttons. When she put it that way, how could I not want to find out more about this mysterious lawyer?

I looked around at the faces in the room. Trucy, Mr. Wright, Pearl, Maya, Klavier, Kay, Ms. von Karma, Mr. Edgeworth, Mr. Nomura, and Ms. Suzuki. They all needed the closure. They needed to know what happened last year, and what ever happened to the attorney they had all known.

They all depended on me to provide that.

"I'll do it."

There was a collective cheer. But Mr. Wright seemed to be determined not to waste time. "Right this way, Apollo. There we go, right this way. Let's just get the MASON system all warmed up, and . . ." he paused for a second, tapping a few keys on the external computer before the MASON system flickered to life. ". . . we're in business. Now, this MASON system isn't like the one you experienced a few months ago when you did the test trial for the Jurist System. This is like a movie. We've taken the liberty of putting everything in chronological order, pieced together from our memories of the cases. All you have to do is watch them and take notes."

I nodded. It seemed easy enough. "So, where do we start?"

"At the very beginning." He fitted the helmet over my head. "Have fun. And take notes; she's got some techniques you might want to employ in your own court endeavors." With a hum and a click, the movie started playing.

* * *

**A/N: A new prologue was exactly what was needed to bridge the frame and the present. Added 9.11.11**


	2. The Initial Turnabout

**Chapter One :: The Initial Turnabout :: Trial**

"Are you sure you don't want to take this case? I mean, it is your friend and all. What if I screw up?"

Phoenix Wright looked down at his young apprentice with a slight smile. She looked just as worried as he had before his first trial. She looked like she was about to chew her bottom lip completely off, nails digging into the skin of her arms as she wrapped her arms around herself tightly. Deciding that it was probably better to ignore her questions, he patted her shoulder instead. "Are you ready?" he asked the dark-haired girl. "You're about to debut as a Defense Attorney. You don't want to be underprepared."

She wasn't much of a lawyer, to tell the truth. Fresh out of law school, with intents to become a Prosecutor before failing the Prosecutor's Exam in order to take the classes, she was a Dancer-turned-Prosecutor-turned-Defense. Her thin limbs were the only hints of her past profession, which had ended in disaster. Now she was facing her future.

One step for a man, a leap for mankind.

"I suppose." Her voice was soft, revealing her worry. She rubbed her eyes, her miserable expression showing how much she'd rather be in bed right now. She was tapping her foot impatiently, her heel clicking every time she lifted it. If he'd known that she was going to wear sky-high heels, he might have warned her against it. Now that he thought about it, she'd worn the same shoes to her job interview. Lucky charm, maybe?

He smiled. "Kiria, you'll be fine. All of the missing pieces are in your bag and in the Prosecutor's head. Our client is innocent—you do believe that, right?" He had to make sure that she thought that the client was innocent. After all, he was kind of a putz, and he tended to do things that landed him in court. Multiple times. To his relief, she nodded furiously. "Remember, the truth shall come out." Only the truth could happen in these courtrooms; he was adamant of that. He'd become a Defense Attorney to help people.

"Of course." Still, she looked slightly green. Her hand wandered down to the bag with evidence. She patted it for reassurance and checked her watch. "_Stupid five-dollar watch,_" she cursed in Japanese. According to it, the time was 4:14 in the morning. She'd have to remember to purchase a new one, unfortunately. She shoved it in her pocket, unimpressed.

Phoenix turned, hiding his smirk (hadn't he told her that everything would go wrong before the trial started?) before a familiar face showed in his view. "Hm? Edgeworth?"

Miles Edgeworth, the Demon Prosecutor himself, turned to face his friend with a tinge of surprise. The Defense Attorney had been absent from the courtroom lately. A rumor of a new assistant had surfaced in the Prosecutor's Office in the last few weeks, and it was looking like this rumor was true. "Wright. You're on the case today?" He wasn't surprised. Wright seemed to like murder cases, and this was a classic one. Of course, the suspect was one that they both knew: Larry Butz. He suppressed an inward sigh. Larry just couldn't seem to keep himself out of trouble.

Phoenix shook his head. "Nope. This is my assistant's first case." He smiled at her reassuringly, taking her arm to prompt her to step forward. Even so, she seemed reluctant to meet the Prosecutor. "Edgeworth, meet Kiria Nomura. Kiria, this is Miles Edgeworth." He didn't have to explain who Edgeworth was; she'd went through enough of his old cases to know _exactly_ who the man in front of her was.

"_Hajime mashite_." The girl was obviously Asian, her stature and eyes revealing a cultural heritage that Edgeworth didn't identify with. Unfortunately, he hadn't looked into Asian languages much, so whatever she'd said, he had to hope was friendly.

She was pretty, he did have to admit. She didn't have the all-American sort of look about her (obviously), and she wasn't tall enough to be statuesque, but she was petite and even somewhat cute. Everything about her was small and thin. "Nice to meet you, Miss Nomura. What was that you just spoke?" He figured that it would be polite to merely ask. Besides, he tried to commit what she'd said to memory. He could look it up on the Google Translate App on his phone later.

"Japanese. I'm from Tokyo." Even her English was slightly accented, her r's seemingly soft and her a's extended and long. There seemed to be a lack of cadence in her words. While her pronounciation was excellent, there was something foreign in the way she spoke that marked her to be inherently different.

"What are you doing here, Edgeworth?" Wright interjected. "This is Payne's case, isn't it?"

Edgeworth gave the barest hint of a grin. "Payne called in sick this morning. I'm his replacement." The damn Prosecutor had whined over the phone about a head cold, and rather than listen to him prattle on about unrelated things, he'd taken the case without question. He turned to the younger girl, bowing like a gentleman. "I wish you good luck on the trial, but don't expect to win." Satisfied, he walked away, tugging on the collar of his coat triumphantly. This would be an easy win for her, especially since he knew that Larry hadn't committed the crime. It might increase her confidence a small amount.

It seemed to be doing exactly the opposite. "Phoenix, I can't do this," Kiria begged. "I can't go up against Prosecutor Edgeworth! I'm going to lose the case for Mr. Butz!"

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?" Larry cried, looking as terrified as she did. Phoenix hadn't seen him approach, but now that he had, there was a full-blown panic fest blowing up in his face. "I'm already as good as dead, Nick! There's no use in having a trial—they'll give me the death sentence!" He paused for breath. "How am I supposed to live without my precious Livia? She's already told me that she hates criminals!"

Apparently, Larry hadn't realized that if we were to be convicted for this crime, there would be more problems than his girlfriend.

Maya finally joined the ragtag bunch, her hands clasped around something. "Kiria!" She grinned, halting her run beside the younger Defense Attorney. She paused her cheerful mood to look in the girl's eyes. "You don't look so good. Maybe these'll make you feel better?" She shoved a package of Pink Princess chocolates in her face. "I have Steel Samurai ones too!"

"Maya! Cut that out!" Phoenix waved a hand to silence her. "Larry, you're innocent. If you're innocent, you're going to be proclaimed innocent." Larry whimpered, opening his mouth to say something, but Phoenix wasn't done with his pep talk. "Kiria, you can do this. It doesn't matter whether Payne or Edgeworth is on the other side of the courtroom; your client is still innocent. The truth will come out. Just believe in yourself a little more. You've went over my old cases. You know how this goes. Don't defeat yourself before you even get in there."

Kiria inhaled deeply, taking a deep breath to steel her nerves. "If you say so."

"I know so. Now get into that courtroom and win for your client." He put his hands on either side of her shoulders, staring into her eyes.

She nodded wordlessly, and he realized that her confidence wasn't any higher than it had been when she'd started.

"I'll be right there beside you. If you need some help, just call on me. I know that you won't need any help though." He smiled, hoping to impart a little bit of optimism to her.

She at least cracked a smile this time. He smiled back. This trial was going to be a piece of cake.

* * *

So far, the trial was a disaster. And it hadn't even been five minutes. Phoenix scratched the back of his head, trying to figure out how they were going to get out of their current predicament.

"Stuck in a rut, Wright?" Edgeworth called from the opposite stand. Beside Phoenix, Kiria was staring hard at all of the evidence. He shook his head, not wanting to banter with him in case it would psyche her out. She already looked like she was going to be sick if she didn't figure out the contradiction in the Witness's words.

"OBJECTION!" Kiria's voice suddenly rang out from beside him. He knew her penchant for bluffing through it when she didn't have a clue, but he hoped she had at least some precedent for this outburst. Otherwise, Edgeworth was going to chew her up and spit her out like a piece of gum. "The Prosecution's claims are ludicrous! Mr. Larry Butz could not have murdered Gary Wiles!"

The judge leaned back in his chair. "And do you have any evidence to support this claim, Miss Nomura? Might I remind you that you are still a first-time attorney?"

She murmured something in Japanese under her breath, and he could guess the gist of it. He was suddenly very glad that the Judge was hard of hearing and didn't understand the foreign language.

"Do you know what you're doing?" he asked her quietly.

She nodded, holding up the Autopsy Report for Gary Wiles. He'd been expecting her to reply to him, but instead she spoke to the witness. "You said you could see my client in the sun?"

The man nodded. "Yeah. I saw him standing over the body, totally freaking out. It was about eight in the morning."

"The witness may have seen my client at eight o'clock in the morning. However, that doesn't convict my client of anything, since the autopsy report states that the murder was done around ten o'clock the previous night! The witness is clearly correct, but the discovery of the body is irrelevant!"

The court erupted into noise as the witness wilted. Phoenix smirked as the smile was wiped off of Edgeworth's face. "Nice one!" he murmured to her, nudging her elbow.

"I think I've got it all figured out . . . and it's all revolving around this pot." She pointed to the one she'd placed on the railing of the desk.

"Hopefully it revolves around the murder weapon," he joked. "Let's finish this fight."

"Of course!"

"ORDER! ORDER!" The Judge yelled. After a few desperate and completely useless attempts, he finally gave up. "The court will take a ten minute recess. And when you all come back, I expect more of an organized court!" He swiveled on his chair and stalked out of the room, obviously miffed.

Phoenix couldn't hide his slight disappointment. She'd been on a roll; it wasn't good to break that down, especially since she was so timid in court. To his surprise, as soon as they'd exited the courtroom, Kiria exhaled loudly. "That was anticlimactic," she complained.

He grinned. "Just hold onto your thought. We'll win this case, no problem." He chanced a glance over at the Prosecutor. "Besides, you've just proven that you could become a worthy opponent to Mr. Edgeworth over there," he said with a wink.

It was true—Edgeworth looked furious. A dark cloud had washed over his triumphant grin, making him look irritated. Although he'd known he was going to lose this trial, he'd been skeptical when the first witness gave a solid testimony. She'd managed to completely turn the case around on its head! How had she caught that in the witness's testimony? Even he hadn't realized it until she'd said it. Little things like that . . . it made her a dangerous opponent. She wasn't a normal amateur, that was for sure.

Larry had a goofy smile on his face. "Kiria! Maybe you'll keep me with my precious Livia after all! I'll show her that she's dating no criminal, and sweep her off her feet! I'll be her knight in shining armor!" He turned his attention back to her. "Do you think she'd like me in a knight costume?"

Kiria chuckled. "Sure, Mr. Butz. But don't pin all of your hopes on me yet—we've still got the rest of the trial to run." She turned to Maya on her other side. "Do you still have those chocolates?" she asked the spirit medium.

"Would I be a Pink Princess fan if I didn't? I thought you might get hungry—here's some. Nick'll take us out for burgers after the trial, I promise. And if he doesn't? Off with his head! Pink Princess Dismemberment Technique #328!" She handed the metallic package to the young lawyer. "Until then, feast on the amazing powers of the Warrior of Little Olde Tokyo!"

"Thanks, Maya." She ripped open the package, tapping a few of them into her palm. They definitely weren't gourmet chocolates, but they would satiate her appetite until later.

"So, what's the plan?" Phoenix asked casually.

Kiria shrugged. "Well, the murder was at night, right? But then, why didn't anyone hear the pot hit the ground after it had killed Gary Wiles? And if no one had come running, why were the pieces and the body just lying there on the ground? None of this makes sense, especially since the murder was committed in Mr. Butz's own yard. Why didn't he clean it up? He had all of the tools to do it. In addition, the pot was said to have disappeared from the yard earlier that day by Livia Prince, of all witnesses. If it disappeared earlier than that night, how could Mr. Butz have used it to kill Mr. Wiles?"

Maya applauded. Phoenix nodded in approval, confident that she had the tools to finish the trial. "Now make the judge see your way. Good luck. I want to watch the rest of the trial without Edgeworth harrassing me, so I'll leave the rest of this to Mia." He frowned at the fallen expression on Maya's face. "Sorry that you won't see the end of the trial," he apologized.

Maya shrugged off her disappointment. "You'd better give me a play-by-play after the trial!" she threatened Kiria with what was supposed to be a frightening expression on her face. "Good luck!" She closed her eyes briefly, and suddenly, she changed. Her lips formed into a playful pout, her chest growing larger, and her height increasing.

"Hello, Mia," Kiria greeted. She hadn't known the eldest Fey while she'd been living, but she'd seen Maya and Pearl channel her enough to say that she knew Mia well. She'd spent hours in evidence rooms with Mia, who had detailed out some of her most riveting cases to the girl.

"Kiria." Mia inclined her head. "And Phoenix. How are you feeling about the trial?" she asked her former assistant, trying to figure out whether to mourn the loss of the trial with the new Attorney or to help her wrap it up.

Phoenix grinned triumphantly. "Confident, actually. See, I _can_ train an assistant without your help," he teased. "Anyways, I'm up in the stands for this portion. Recess is almost over—get in the courtroom!" he ordered. "And don't let him intimidate you," he warned Kiria before disappearing behind the doors with Larry.

Mia smiled. "He gets cocky sometimes. Don't think you've won quite yet. Who's the Prosecutor?" she asked as she stole one of the chocolates from Kiria's hand.

"Miles Edgeworth," Kiria confessed. "During the trial, I felt like an ant trying to climb Mount Everest. I managed to catch him off guard with the witness's testimony, but since he's grinning again, I can't imagine that I got him that good."

Mia opened the door for the Prosecutor and the Defense. "Just catch him off guard as many times as you can. His defense will fall after a while, and if your client is innocent, Edgeworth will know." She grinned. "Of course, the accused is Harry Butz. Edgeworth, Phoenix, and Harry all used to be friends when they were kids, you know."

Kiria didn't correct her mistake of Larry's name. "Really?"

Mia didn't have a chance to respond. The judge had already returned to his chair and had his gavel hovering just above the block of wood. "Order! Recess is adjourned. Does the Prosecution have any rebuttals to the Defense's last claim?"

Edgeworth swept his hair aside from his line of sight. "Actually, the Prosecution does. Does the Defense have any claims that the murder was not done during the day?"

Kiria shot up in confusion. "Perhaps you haven't read the Court Record? The Autopsy Report clearly states that the death happened around ten at night!"

"Perhaps the death. But what about the actual crime? The victim could have been struck earlier in the day, even two hours earlier."

"Mr. Edgeworth, are you implying that the victim was hit with the pot and died two hours later from the impact? The Autopsy Report says that Mr. Wiles could have lived for a few more _minutes_, not hours. Even if it was committed during the day, there's no proof. Your witness arrived the morning after. There is no way that Mr. Butz committed this crime!"

The courtroom exploded with sound again. "Good! Now go for the kill!" Mia urged.

"The kill?"

Mia stared. "You do have a suspect, don't you? As to the real murderer?"

The color drained from Kiria's face. "You mean . . . I need one of those?" she squeaked. Apparently, she hadn't been expecting this twist.

Mia glared. "You need to back up your claims somehow! Look at the Court Record, and I'll attempt to stall."

"ORDER! ORDER!" The Judge slammed his gavel down. "Mr. Edgeworth!"

"Yes, Your Honor?" Oddly enough, Edgeworth didn't look too worried, despite the fact that she'd just debunked his theory easily.

"D-Do you have anything to say to the Defense's claims?"

Edgeworth smiled widely, spreading his hands in front of him. "The Defense is certainly on the case today. Something to be expected from Mr. Wright's assistant, I would think. You did your homework, Miss Nomura, and for that, I am impressed. However, someone definitely killed Gary Wiles, and your client is the only suspect at the time. This trial cannot end until the truth is found. Tell me, then. Who killed Mr. Wiles?"

"Mr. Edgeworth, might I remind you that this isn't the trial of 'who killed Gary Wiles', but the trial of 'Harry Butz's guilt'? I believe that we have cleared our client's name of all wrongdoing in this crime," Mia said.

"OBJECTION! However, if Mr. Butz did not commit the crime as you insinuate, then it is possible that he is not the murderer, but an accomplice to the crime."

Meanwhile, Kiria was skimming through the profiles. _It couldn't have been Mr. Wiles; suicide doesn't make sense . . . And if Mr. Butz is my client . . . That only leaves one suspect left . . ._

Her head shot up. "The Defense would like to present a suspect to the court!"

The Judge nodded. "Sustained. Name your suspect."

"I accuse . . . Livia Prince!" She lifted the file high above her head. "Ms. Prince was absent the night of the murder, and has no alibi. Incidentally, she has a motive for killing the victim—on behalf of the brutal breakup of her sister!" _Take that, Edgeworth!_

Edgeworth shook his head. "Ms. Prince has already been cleared as a suspect."

"On what charges?"

Edgeworth rolled his eyes. "On behalf of the fact that she does have an alibi!"

More chatter in the court.

"I'd like to suggest that perhaps the Prosecution call Ms. Prince up to the stand so that we might be able to hear her testimony!" Mia called beside her.

"I'm sorry, but that's not possible at this moment. Ms. Prince had some pressing concerns to deal with."

_Edgeworth has to know that Livia's guilty, but he doesn't want her to testify. I wonder why? _"What could possibly be more important than a murder trial? Especially one that you're being accused at!" Kiria placed her hands on her hips, trying to bravado her way through this. "I insist that we hear her testimony. After all, I do believe that I saw her earlier in the lobby. If you'd allow me to go get her . . . ?"

"No!" Edgeworth rose suddenly. "Her testimony is unrelated!" He was running out of outlets here. He couldn't make Livia Prince testify . . . how had the amateur suddenly backed him into a corner? It was slightly reminiscent of the first trial that he'd experienced with her teacher.

"As a murder suspect, I believe that Ms. Prince's testimony is related," the Judge decreed. "Let us hear it."

Edgeworth's face paled. "Your Honor, Livia Prince has asked not to testify. She has the right to refuse testimony."

The Judge was already shaking his head. "That was under different circumstances. I hope that you might bring her here so that she may understand the gravity of the situation against her. Pleading the Fifth does have consequences, you know."

"As you wish, your Honor." He slipped out of the room before coming back in a moment later. "The suspect, Livia Prince, Your Honor."

Livia Prince was blonde, tall, and statuesque, but she had an unpleasant grimace on her face, as if there was something that smelled awful under her nose. "I've been told that I'm being accused for the murder."

"Indeed, Miss Prince. If you continue to refuse to testify, it does imply certain . . . things about the murder. Would you like to reconsider your plea?"

She looked less than excited. "My testimony. Don't ask any questions," she snapped at Kiria and Mia as she sat. "I was at my house, talking on the phone with Larry. Then I went to bed. The end." She shrugged. "You'll never pin anything on me. Just you try."

Kiria cleared her throat. "What time would you say that you got off the phone with Mr. Butz?"

"Maybe ten-thirty? Somewhere around there—might have been later."

Even Edgeworth saw the objection coming.

"OBJECTION!" Kiria said. "The defendant's phone records reveal that he was off of the phone by nine-fifty, making it impossible for him to have spoken on the phone with you until ten-thirty!"

Livia was sweating bullets. Even the amateur lawyer could tell that she wasn't good under pressure. "I-I went over to his house after speaking with him."

"What time was that?"

"About . . . About ten at night . . ."

"Did you notice anything strange at Mr. Butz's house?"

Livia shook her head furiously, beginning to claw at the table in front of her. "I-I-I . . . I did it! I killed Gary Wiles!"

Mia nodded in approval. "And that's a wrap."

"With this pot?" Kiria reached out for the pot.

Her fingers brushed the side of it just before it went tumbling over the side of the desk and hit the floor. Of course, despite the fact that it hadn't broken after knocking Gary Wiles out, it was now shattered on the tile floor. She was_ so _screwed_._

Eerie silence fell over the courtroom. Kiria had her hands clasped over her mouth, staring at the broken pieces on the floor. Even Mia was gaping. "I've seen some pretty bad trials, but this tops them off. . . ."

"I just . . . I just . . . broke evidence . . . that . . . that pot. . . ." Kiria was having problems stringing words together.

Edgeworth was staring in horror at the broken evidence on the floor. Never had he seen evidence lying so . . . especially not in the courtroom.

The Judge was the first to break the silence with a calm but firm demeanor. "Witness, answer the question. Bailiff, get this pot into forensics and see if we can't salvage the pieces."

Livia seemed to have regained her composure by this time. "That pot? What are you talking about? I actually didn't kill Gary. Really, I just said that so that I could be off of the witness stand."

Mia nudged the shellshocked Kiria. "Come on! She's got her stuff back; get back in the game! Finish her off!"

Kiria nodded numbly. She'd lost her momentum, but that didn't mean that she had to lose the trial. "Miss Prince, might I remind you that you are bound under oath to tell the truth? Did you or did you not kill Gary Wiles?"

"Of course not!"

"Then, please, inform the court what you saw when you got to Mr. Butz's house."

Livia was sweating again. "I—I saw his driveway . . . and then his front door . . . oh yeah, and his car was still in the driveway!" She exhaled, trying to catch her breath after speaking so quickly.

"His car was still in the driveway? I find this hard to believe, since Mr. Butz has a garage, and his car was in it the morning after the murder. Are you trying to convince the court that perhaps he moved it in his garage near midnight?"

Livia grimaced. "We . . . we went out for a drive . . . later that night . . ."

"Impossible. The dead body was found sprawled across the driveway. Miss Prince, we know that the car was in the garage at the time of the murder. Also, Mr. Butz sincerely did go to sleep at that time after taking sleeping pills. Roughly eight hours—the prescribed time—after he'd taken them, he woke up to find that his driveway had become a murder scene. What do you have to say to that?"

Livia cracked again, this time for good. "Fine! I did it! I really did kill Gary Wiles! Yes, with that stupid pot! I'd taken it over to my house to put some flowers in it, and was returning it back to Larry that night when Gary walked by. He'd just broken up with my sister, and he'd hurt her so badly . . . she'd committed suicide over him . . . and I just . . . snapped. I couldn't take it! How did he deserve to live, when he'd taken her away?" She pulled at her long blond hair. "I just cracked him over the head with the flower pot . . . I'd come over when Larry was still asleep, because I wanted it to be a surprise, and then it just . . . I . . . ."

"Miss Prince, I believe that is enough to declare a verdict." The Judge leaned back in his chair, locking his fingers together. "Miss Nomura, I do have to commend you on your efforts, although your . . . problem with the evidence will cost you a penalty. However, I declare the defendant, Larry Butz, NOT GUILTY!"

Kiria exhaled happily, collapsing into her chair. Mia smiled at her. "And just think. You only had to go through the trial of hell to get your verdict." She chuckled. "Welcome to being a Lawyer."

* * *

**A/N: ANOTHER resubmission of the first chapter. Cleared up the "Kirida/Kiria" problem. Clarified the victim [I apparently didn't realize I was calling my victim two different names]. Some dialogue changed. Edit: 7/22/11**


	3. The Turnabout In A Frame

**Chapter Two :: The Turnabout In A Frame**

My eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Was that case supposed to be groundbreaking? Not that she wasn't incredible in court, but the case was kind of . . . tame." Compared to what I'd seen during the last year, her trial had been child's play. "Did I miss something?"

Mr. Wright's lips curved into a smile, and he chuckled. I'd once thought that when he did that, he was laughing at me, but I was realizing more and more that it was just his way to express his dark sense of humor. "No, you didn't miss anything. But you need a bit of background before you jump into the next part."

"It's not done?"

"Oh, no. Nowhere near done. We've got seven years to go through. Here, while you were using the MASON system, I got Edgeworth to get you her personnel file from the first year. Read through it while we try to load the next part for you." He handed it to me, turned, and walked out of the room.

I stared after him for a moment. I didn't even know what I was doing here. All I knew was that there was a lot of people waiting for me to come out with an answer that I didn't know I could give them. For the moment, I just had to roll with the punches. I buried my face in the case file and committed it to memory.

* * *

_Name_: Kiria Nomura [野村 霧亜]

_Age_: Twenty-four

_Gender_: Female

_Occupation_: Junior Defense Attorney

_Employed by_: Phoenix Wright [Senior Defense Attorney; Wright and Co. Law Offices]

_Family_: Nomura Takao [野村 隆男], father [deceased];  
Miyazaki Hanako [宮﨑 華子], mother [deceased];  
Nomura Mariko [野村 真理子], sister;  
Nomura Yoshiya [野村 代志也], adopted brother

_Education_: Earned full International Baccalaureate diploma at Tokyo Metropolitan Hibiya High School [東京都立日比谷高等学校] before transferring to the United States to enroll in the University of Southern California. Graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Graduated with full honors from Berkeley School of Law three years later.

_Record_: Nomura was last seen by law officials after a scandal at the University of Southern California. She was one of the twelve put on trial, and one of eight that was cleared of all charges.

_Authorization_: Valid visa from the Government of Japan.

* * *

The door cracked open just as I finished the last line of information. "What's this about the scandal at USC?" I asked, holding up the open folder.

Mr. Edgeworth shook his head. "You'll see," was all he said.

Mr. Wright slipped in after him. "Well, are you ready?"

"For another trip inside the MASON system?" I frowned. "I don't know that anyone's ever ready to piece together the past."

There was an awkward moment of silence where Mr. Edgeworth glowered and Mr. Wright smirked. They were obviously under different opinions when it came to this argument. I stood back and watched their silent debate. Finally, Mr. Wright nodded. "I think we both agree that the MASON system is _needed_ to solve what happened."

"Wright," Mr. Edgeworth warned.

"Oh, cool it," Mr. Wright responded with the slightest annoyance coloring his tone. "I'm not going to push a bias in him, if that's what you're afraid of."

"I don't know that you understand the gravity of this situation." Mr. Edgeworth looked graver than ever, his eyes boring giant holes into Mr. Wright.

Although there was an anger in Mr. Edgeworth's words, Mr. Wright looked unconcerned. "Where can we go wrong? Is there anything we can lose?"

"You know as well as I do about the disappearances, Wright. There's a lot that can go wrong."

The word 'disappearances' piqued my interest. I'd seen something in the newspaper a few days before, but I hadn't paid a lot of attention to it. Did Mr. Wright and Mr. Edgeworth know the workings behind these?

Mr. Wright must have seen my face light up, because he instantly dropped the subject. "I think it's time to see some more of the past, don't you think, Apollo?"

"B-But . . ." I protested.

"No buts, just get ready. Come on, let's get moving." He ushered me to the machine, setting me up. "Okay, it's the next chapter on there. Turnabout Fall."

"Wright, is this a neces—"

"—yes, it's a necessity, Edgeworth, stop arguing." Mr. Wright rolled his eyes before turning back to me. "We'll interrupt you when we think you'll need more information. Have a nice trip down memory lane, Apollo."

I didn't even have the time to say that they weren't my memories before he pushed the button to catapult me into the next chapter.

* * *

**A/N: Changed from a mere Case File chapter to a framing chapter. Not sure I'll keep it like that. Now my chapter names are off though. Lovely. Edit: 7/21/11**


	4. Turnabout Fall

**Chapter Three :: Turnabout Fall**

The courtroom slowly emptied. People filtered out with cheerful banter, excited by the new talent they'd just seen, more excited by the thrilling end to the trial. The Prosecutor, Defense Attorney, and Judge remained in the courtroom. Despite the well-deserved verdict, there were still some repercussions from the actions taken in the courtroom, namely, destroying evidence.

Although Mia had promised to stay with the young woman until the end, she'd slipped out with the audience in the chamber. It wasn't that she didn't care about the outcome. It was more that Kiria would have to learn to deal with these problems on her own. Mia was merely kicking her out of the nest. Forcefully. Now, she was lounging in the lobby with a young Phoenix Wright. There was a strange, bittersweet note between them. It was a reminiscence, a memory that they'd both shared arriving in deja vu. Mia was the first to break the comfortable silence. "So, what did you think, Phoenix? Remind you of your own humble beginning?"

Phoenix grinned. "I knew you'd bring that up." He loosened his tie, stretching out his arms before holding them akimbo. "I have _never_ seen a trial like that. I was honestly biting my fingernails until the end. Then again," he said solemnly, "I've never seen anyone break evidence in the courtroom either. I was starting to get worried that she'd never regain her confidence after that. After all, she was on a roll!"

Mia laughed. "She probably wouldn't have if Livia Prince had put up a fight after that. Lucky for her, she cracked like an egg. I was surprised Edgeworth didn't do more. He usually fights tooth and nail for those victories."

"Well, Edgeworth knew that Larry wasn't guilty. She got pretty lucky, to tell the truth. If she'd faced Winston Payne, there would have been much more of a fight." Phoenix sighed, seating himself on the bench. "To tell the truth, I don't know what the penalty is for breaking evidence."

"Not a clue. I've never seen it happen in a courtroom. There's probably no written punishment against it because it happens so little. The Judge will just assign what he thinks is reasonable." She gave a gentle smile as the doors to the courtroom opened. "Guess we'll just have to find out."

Edgeworth held the door open for his tiny opponent, who looked slightly downcast despite her recent victory. Phoenix didn't give either of them a minute to escape. "Congrats on the win," Phoenix congratulated her, patting her back. He threw Edgeworth a grin. He was relieved to see the small smirk cross his friend's face in response.

Of course, Larry had to walk up at this moment to make it vanish. "Hey! Edgey! Dude, why'd you go after me like that? I thought you were my friend!" Giant tears welled up in his eyes, giving the best kicked-puppy look he could muster up.

"It's called a _job_, Butz, something that you can't seem to keep nailed down. It's nothing personal." He turned away from the obnoxious man to nod at the victor of the trial, his smile back on his face. "Well done, Miss Nomura. A commendable Defense. Next time, however, might I suggest keeping your evidence intact?"

Although her expression had risen with the praise, it fell just as quickly with his last statement. "I still can't believe I did that . . ." she mumbled, covering her eyes in shame.

Mia smiled in reassurance. "What was your punishment?"

"No cases for the next week. I can't even step foot in the courtroom."

"Ah, the classic suspension. At least you're not in contempt of court," Phoenix volunteered.

"At least." She still seemed dejected, but she perked back up when she saw the smiling faces looking at her. Oh, where were her manners? Mr. Edgeworth had complemented her so nicely, and then she'd forgotten to do the same? "M—Mr. Edgeworth! I'm . . . I'm so honored to have been able to face you so quickly in my career. Your Prosecution was remarkable! I—I—I'm—"

"—Speechless?" Phoenix asked in amusement.

"No! I hope to have the pleasure to face you again soon." She beamed at him, a charming little package in six-inch heels.

"Well, just think. It's hard to step foot in the courtroom when construction's going on during the next week," Edgeworth volunteered, attempting to be kind.

"Construction in the courtroom? For what?"

Edgeworth's mouth smoothed into a grin. "This place is old, Wright. The floors are weak. It failed the last building examination."

"Oh." Phoenix glanced down at his feet. "Is it safe now?"

"Undoubtedly."

Larry refused to be ignored. He immediately dominated the conversation when he brought up Livia. "I can't believe my sweetheart killed that guy! I thought she hated criminals?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Butz," Kiria said.

Oddly enough, the grin didn't fade from his face. "That's okay! We'll break her out of jail! We'll be like Butch and Cassidy, Julius and Caesar, Jessie and James!"

"Isn't it—" Mia began to ask, but both Phoenix and Edgeworth shook their heads to silence her. There was no reasoning with Larry Butz, especially when he got going.

Phoenix rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay. Enough standing around. I'm hungry, and Kiria looks like she hasn't ate anything in days. You are still too thin," he insisted, elbowing her playfully. "I say we go have lunch to celebrate. On Edgeworth, of course."

"N—No! Phoenix! We can't just—" A loud rumble cut Kiria off from her reproach.

"Huh? Is that an earthquake?" Larry asked loudly. Edgeworth's eyes snapped open, his breath coming in and out in short bursts. The man had frozen in fear, right in the middle of the floor.

Sometime in the middle of the confusion, Mia had surrendered to Maya. "What's going on?" the young spirit medium asked, looking around in panic. She'd never channelled anyone only to come back to disaster. The floor gave a fierce shudder, knocking her off balance.

Phoenix grabbed onto her with one hand, keeping his other on the wall. "It's just an earthquake. In a building that failed inspection not too long ago."

"B—But . . . what? It failed the building inspection?" Maya shrieked. "Are we safe?"

Kiria glanced up. "I'm worried about the ceiling coming down on us." Plaster began to rain down like hail over them. "I hate earthquakes in unsteady buildings." As a Tokyo native, she'd been in the best protection from an earthquake. Hell, she'd even been in simulated earthquakes. But this was different. For the first time in a long time, she was actually worried about the consequences of this natural disaster.

"An earthquake? But, Mr. Edgeworth . . . !" Worry echoed in Maya's voice as she stared at the man curled in the middle of the floor. "Nick, he's not safe there!"

Phoenix glanced around the room. People had flocked around the doorways and someone had even dived under the couch. "There are no 'safe' places, Maya. We've just got to cross our fingers and hope that the ceiling doesn't rain down on our heads." He pulled her against the wall with him, trying to psyche himself up to do a fireman-type carry in order to get Edgeworth to join them. "Larry, Kiria, come on. We've got better luck against a wall than in the middle of the room."

Larry joined common sense happily, but Kiria glanced back at Edgeworth. "I can't just leave him like this!" The fear that had crossed his face was a look that she'd seen older citizens have. She couldn't leave him there, helpless as could be. She would wrestle up her courage to stage a fearless rescue that would save Edgeworth's life before the ceiling came down and killed them all.

She took one small step toward him before the floor crumbled beneath her feet. In the next moment, a large section of the ceiling of the court basement fell, trapping Edgeworth and Kiria in its slide.

* * *

Kiria had never been so relieved that the courtroom was on the ground floor. Instead of sliding down to the bare concrete beneath—which probably would have wounded or killed them—she and Edgeworth collapsed into the court library with what had previously been the soundproof barriers. Large chunks of concrete and plaster fell down around them, breaking off in large enough chunks to aid their tumble to the ground below.

By this time, the quake had stopped, leaving only chaos and commotion in its wake. From the edges of the chasm, she could hear the shifting of materials settling.

Thick, white plaster had set upon both her and Edgeworth, who was slowly rising from his crouched position. It coated his hair with a thin layer, making it look gray instead of its normal black. His magenta-colored jacket was dusted with the stuff. She could feel it tangle in her hair, and she swept it from her shoulders as she attempted to catch her breath. "Are you alright, Mr. Edgeworth?" she asked, readjusting her jacket and pulling it tighter around her.

Miles Edgeworth stood, his knees groaning in protest as he did. Dear God, he needed to get away from his desk more often. Perhaps then when he was in "unadvantageous situations", he might have a chance of not feeling like he'd just been hit with a steamroller. He stretched, examining the room around him. Tall bookshelves lined the walls around them, and the slope and decimation of the former floor made it impossible to escape from the Court Library. There was no way to get on top of the shelves in order to try to escape from the giant hole created. And standing in the small alcove with him was . . . the young Defense Attorney that he'd just lost to. "I'm fine. Are you hurt?"

She shook her head, kicking up the dust in her hair. "Not that I can feel." She shrugged. "Bad luck for us without the ladders, ne?" The tall ladders that usually lined the bookshelves must have been swiveled around to the other side of the shelves, for they were nowhere in sight.

Edgeworth sighed. "Bad luck is only the beginning of it."

She bit her lip as he fell silent, seemingly unharmed, but just as reticent as normal. He was crouched down and surveying their situation with an unhappy countenance. She perched next to him, looking up at the gaping hole and what she imagined was the anxious faces of Maya, Phoenix, and Larry. The din of noise didn't penentrate down to their location, but she could hear the commotion. "Sounds like the courtroom is still in a panic," she said offhandedly to dissolve the awkward silence.

Edgeworth nodded.

"I hope that everyone's okay," she continued.

He remained mute.

"That was . . . a good trial." She was grasping at straws now; she hadn't wanted to mention it before this.

He looked at her suddenly. "Do you have any weapons on you?" The question was fierce, as if he was going to do something rash if she said that she did.

She blinked, stunned. "No . . .? Do you?" She fought her grimace—should she be worried? She hadn't expected danger from this man, and if he went insane, there was nowhere to run.

He slumped, obviously having exhaled in what was either relief or disappointment. "No." Seeing her obvious confusion, he offered the barest hint of a smile. "Bad trial. Have you ever heard of DL-6?"

Apparently Wright hadn't filled her in about the case. She shuffled a little nearer, apparently more relaxed than she had been. "No, I haven't. I'd be willing to listen, though." The end of her voice lilted upwards curiously; she wanted to know. It was slightly comforting, however, knowing that there was someone who didn't know about the whole incident. He kept his mouth shut. "I'll take that as a 'not willing to tell'?" She glanced over at him as she spoke.

He nodded curtly. She nodded softly back, not holding it against him. After all, they all had cases that they didn't want to talk about. She ran a tired hand through her hair. "So, when do you think that we'll get out of here?"

He shook his head. "Not a clue." The color was finally flooding back into his face, the fear from the earthquake beginning to thaw. "I hope that you didn't want lunch too badly."

She began to root around in her bag. They needed some sort of signal if they ever hoped to be rescued, and if there was too much noise, their voices probably would be too quiet. "Hey, does your watch have a light on it?" She remembered her own dead one; it was useless without a battery. She glanced at his wrist. "Probably not; that thing looks like a Rolex." She glanced up at him incredulously. "You must be efficient."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "What does a Rolex have to do with being efficient?"

She smiled. "When I was younger, my father always used to tell me that you could tell the personality of a man by looking at his watch. The more expensive the watch, the more efficient the man."

Edgeworth nodded slowly. He'd never thought of it that way, but it was usually correct—for those who had worked for their money, anyways. And those who didn't play in childish watches like Wright did. Even if Maya _had_ given him a Steel Samurai watch for Christmas, it didn't mean that he was forced to wear it. "A good way to categorize people."

She nodded slowly. Her father had been excellent at categorizing people. She, however, hadn't seemed to share his talent. She'd made a lot of strange turns in her life that could have been avoided with a little more caution and a lot more categorization. She wrapped her arms around her torso for heat, out of things to say. Silence ensued.

He eventually yawned. He'd been up early, with Winston Payne's 4AM phone call. The man had only been infected with a head cold. Not that Edgeworth minded much. He enjoyed the courtroom. The worst part had undoubtedly been debating with the man about how to email him the case file and reworking the flawed case until it was nothing like the original one. The early morning was starting to work on him.

Yawns, it seemed, were contagious, as she yawned merely seconds later. She covered her mouth with the crook of her arm, staring at the wall in front of her. She'd been so keyed up last night that it had been questionable whether she'd slept at all. She rubbed her eyes stubbornly, refusing to miss a minute. Edgeworth seemed to notice her fatigue. "You should rest. Help won't come for a while, and they'll be shouting." His mouth turned into a sarcastic smile. "I'm not quite sure about you, but I'll wake up at that."

She nodded, curling up into a ball and placing her head on her knees. Although she was determined to stay awake, even the small moment of rest almost took her under.

Edgeworth watched her. He remembered his first trial—how he'd told his mentor, Manfred Von Karma that he was completely ready for it, only to be devastated by the defendant's suicide. He remembered how he couldn't sleep for even days afterwards, remembering Dahlia Hawthorne's face every time he closed his eyes. Kiria hadn't been forced to deal with such tragedy right off the bat. "Is that comfortable?"

"It's no bed in a five-star hotel, if that's what you're asking." Her tone was wry, not snappy at all.

He grinned. At least she had a sense of humor. "Do you want to use my shoulder?"

"What?" Her eyes snapped open almost comically. Apparently she hadn't thought that he'd had a kind side.

"My shoulder. Do you want to sleep on it?" To show his sincerity with the offer, he even walked over and sat next to her. She looked at him for a moment in complete surprise before gently leaning her head on his shoulder. After a moment, almost like she'd been afraid that he'd been playing a joke on her and realized he wasn't going to, her body relaxed next to his. She must have been asleep within moments. Her breath evened out with, and her eyelashes, which he could barely see over the shadow of her dark hair, fluttered just so slightly. He leaned his head back against the bookcase behind him and closed his eyes.

* * *

It took hours for the crews to move enough of the debris to lower the rescue crew to the basement. Darkness had now fallen over the courtroom, an early night for a late March day. Edgeworth opened his eyes, disoriented enough to have to peer into the black abyss in front of him. He couldn't see a thing beyond his face. Kiria was still asleep, her breath colored by the cold of the air. Rough sounds of machinery worked above them. The sounds were closer than he remembered them being; he could hear coarse language above them. He couldn't remember being able to distinguish the words before they'd slept. What he could hear, however, ran a feeling of frigid water through his veins. "I don't think that there's anyone still alive down there," a worker was yelling over the roar of the machine. "Hello!" he asked louder, obviously meaning it for the still-alive duo in the hole. "Is anyone alive down there?" he shouted.

Edgeworth shook the slumbering girl awake. "Help's arrived," he said shortly before raising his voice. "We're down here!"

Kiria shot up as the man responded. "I don't hear anything!" Fear gripped at her heart as she realized that they were being left for dead.

"Please! We're down here!" she yelled, getting to her feet quickly. There was no response. The machines must have been drowning out their cries for help. The man didn't say anything to prove her hypothesis.

Edgeworth fumbled around in his pockets, standing up. "We need something to get his attention." She began to rummage through her bag at the hint, throwing things out in panic. As she tossed her own dead fluorescent green glow-in-the-dark child-sized watch onto the ground, the idea dawned on him. "Where are the lights on these watches?"

Kiria was looking at him incredulously. "A light on a Rolex? You're kidding, right?"

"Where is it?" he asked impatiently. He thrust his wrist to where he supposed she would be, brushing her arm with his fist. Immediately, she worked her way around his hand with gentle touches before finding the button. Blue light shot up between them.

They could now see the worker situated above them. "Wait! Lower me down! I think I see something! There's a light down there!" he was shouting.

"I thought that you said that it was a Rolex?" Kiria asked.

He smiled. "An imitation. What would your father make of that?" The lift lowered down to them, and the man unhooked the chain guarding the entrance, allowing them on.

She stepped up onto the raising platform. "I'm not sure. I'll get back to you on that one.

* * *

Kiria was given the next day off to recover. According to California State Law or something like that, she was forced to stay away from the office and consult a medical professional in order to discern any injuries. She'd been checked out by the medical team in the ambulance at the scene, and they'd approved her for work, so she supposed that would suffice. In all reality, despite her hunger and the initial panic, she hadn't been too fazed by the whole thing. In fact, it was almost comical now that she thought back on it.

She woke up later than she'd expected, alerted by the surge of sun in her face. It had to have been almost eleven in the morning before she finally got out of bed. A trip to the courthouse, a trip to the store, and a possible trip to the Public Prosecutor's Office were in order. The first two were done quickly. The last was left.

"May I talk with Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth?" she asked the desk clerk politely, shifting the basket on her arm.

The clerk didn't even look up. "High Prosecutor," she corrected automatically. "Floor 12—fourth office down."

She thanked the man warmly, before asking where the staircase was. Finally, after what seemed like a million steps, she knocked on the fourth office down. This was a gamble. He wasn't supposed to be working—like she was—but he didn't seem like the type to follow that. He was too driven to allow a stupid rule to deter him from his work.

"Come in."

She turned the knob. It refused to yield to her touch. "I can't. It's locked."

She could almost see the confused expression flitting across his face as he recognized her voice. After a moment, he unlocked the door. "We're not having another falling expedition, are we?" His eyes were suspicious, but his mouth sported a smirk. "Come on in."

She laughed. "I hope not. Sorry for bothering you; I know that you're probably working."

"Not a problem. You're probably better company than my paperwork."

"Sorry to add to it." She slapped the Court Discipline forms on his desk, sitting down in the chair that faced him. "I brought refreshments to make up for it," she volunteered, holding up the basket she now held on her lap. "I didn't know what kinds of wine were good, so I asked the clerk what she thought. She told me these ones."

He swiveled around in his chair, getting out a couple of wine glasses. His mouth rose on one side as he noticed her skeptical look. "I like a glass of wine with lunch sometimes. Besides, it's a magic trick—they come out of thin air."

She chuckled, handing over a bottle for him to open. "Is that what I need in the office? A magic trick?"

"It certainly spices up the conversation, that's for sure."

The bottle opened with a loud pop and filled the glasses. After handing her a half-filled one, he drank from his own. "Not too bad. Your store clerk has commendable taste."

"I'll make sure to tell her that." She took a sip. This bottle of Pinot Noir _was_ fairly nice. It warmed her insides up. "To near-death experiences?" she toasted.

He clinked his glass against hers. "To near-death experiences. What would life be without them?"

"Agreed. Have you had many?" she asked, taking another swig.

He laughed. "More than you can count on your fingers and toes. I went to college too, you know."

She smiled. "Where'd you go to college?"

"In Germany. You can become a Prosecutor at a much younger age there." The topic brought up a less-than-cheerful case as he remembered his first against Mia Fey. "And you?"

She smiled. "Berkeley. Yours seems so much more impressive."

"Perhaps," he allowed, nodding. "Then again, I always knew what I wanted." He had always wanted to follow in his father's footsteps. There had been no variations. First to be like his father, and then in response to his death.

And look where he was now.

"I'm definitely not where I started," she mentioned, looking up at the ceiling. "I always thought . . ." Her voice trailed off, her own face showing her reflections. She wasn't where she thought she would be.

He lifted the bottle. "More wine?"

* * *

It wasn't often that she got drunk, but after splitting two bottles of wine, she looked like she could tumble. Edgeworth had to admit that he felt a little tipsy—he usually didn't drink more than a few glasses, but they'd blazed through both bottles fairly quickly, talking about different cases and Prosecutors and Defense Attorneys with bad reputations. They'd spent more than enough time discussing Winston Payne and Marvin Grossberg, gulping down the alcohol so fast during those that it was acting as an amnesiac.

"Perhaps I should go now," she slurred.

He shook his head. "I don't think you're supposed to be driving while intoxicated."

She shook her head. "I'm not intoxicated. Besides, I'm not driving either."

Of course she wasn't intoxicated. "Why not?"

"Because I can't. I don't have a license. Or a car." She giggled drunkenly.

"Really now? How do you get around?" he asked, amused.

"The Metro."

With her Japanese background, he could imagine that. He'd heard that the rail systems in Japan were popular. "I definitely don't trust you to get on the Metro Rail intoxicated."

"I told you, I'm not intoxicated," she protested again.

Oh man, if anyone came into the room right now, this could look very awkward. He couldn't try to smuggle her down the stairs, nor could he drive her home because he'd drank as much as she had.

"Here, why don't you lay down on the couch for a little bit? Just to sleep off a little wine. I'll let you go home after that," he reassured her, beginning to rise from his chair.

She didn't have the mind to argue with him. After a few slurred words, she seemed to acquiesce.

He helped her walk from the chair to the couch, although it took little more than five steps. Even so, she was stumbling around. Two glasses would have probably been better for her than the five or so she'd consumed, he noted. He leaned over her as she curled up on the couch. Her cheeks were flushed, although he assumed that was from the wine. "_Arigatou gozaimasu_." She yawned, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked, trying not to smile.

She nodded. "Yeah." She nestled into the couch as he stood. He finally stopped restraining his smile as she dozed off and he went back to his work, making sure to fill out her Court Discipline forms before he got back to filing.

* * *

**A/N: The LA Metro has both bus and rail, if anyone was confused.**

**Revised 8/28/11.**


	5. Turnabout Crisis

**Chapter Four :: Turnabout Crisis**

The next weeks were less than exciting. Cases emerged and disappeared as quickly as they had come, but they were tame. Nothing overly confusing. Nothing with high stakes. Kiria found it . . . almost boring.

She was finally admitted back into the courtroom after the first week following the courthouse's reconstruction. She wasn't quite as nervous as she had been in that first case; instead, she found that it was incredibly fun. It was like mock trial back in college, only there was an incentive to win other than her own pride. It got her blood pumping, on the balls of her feet, and her back against the wall. And, of course, that meant she had some _very_ nervous clients. She was still fairly inexperienced, and when she had no idea what to do next, she had a penchant for bluffing it out until she got a clue.

She also had been up against her least favorite prosecutor now—Winston Payne. Did he _have_ to nitpick at her accent or the way she stuttered when the stakes got high? He mocked her endlessly. Hell, she couldn't care less if he was the Rookie Killer or the Queen of England! She just wanted him to treat her as an adult rather than a child when she stood against him in the courtroom.

She'd had a late trial against the previously mentioned Mr. Payne, and to say the least, she wasn't in the best mood. To top it off, she had just received a call from the International Attorney Offices that there was a mandatory meeting tonight. That quickly eliminated the hope of running a hot bath and relaxing with a good book.

The International Attorney Offices was an organization dedicated to Attorneys—both Defense and Prosecution—from foreign countries practicing law in the United States. In order to continue their professions, each lawyer in the organization had to attend at least one meeting a month. Unfortunately, this seemed to be her one meeting for the month. Right after a trial with Winston Payne.

Cue the groans.

On the other hand, she had a new buddy who had been making the meetings a lot more bearable lately. He was waiting for her as she entered the main room of the International Attorney Headquarters. "_Fräulein_ Nomura!" His voice was brassy, classy, and above all, self-confident. "Glad you could finally join us, ja?" His tone was teasing, and paired with the wink he shot at her, she couldn't help but smile back. He patted the empty seat beside him and beckoned her forward with his finger.

She took the seat and accepted the coffee that he held out to her. "I told you; it's Kiria, none of this Fräulein stuff. How've you been?" She raised her paper cup in a mock toast, and he tapped his against hers gently.

"I have been well, _Fraülein_."

She glared at him, but didn't say anything. She'd repay him with a playful elbow to the stomach later. "How's your prosecutorial journey going? Do you have a case yet?"

His face brightened like a child's at the promise of candy. "Ja! First case tomorrow!" He raised his cup for another toast, and she tapped hers against it in congratulations. "But I'm disappointed, Kiria. It's not against you. Or Kristoph."

"No Gavin versus Gavin battle of the wits? Even I would go see that trial." Kiria smiled as she tried to imagine it. "Coolest Defense Attorney of the West and Rock Star Prosecutor? Certainly would be the trial to see."

"It will be a trial to see, regardless." He nodded toward her. "After all, I think that I'm facing your mentor, the great Phoenix Wright." There was a weird look on his face when he said that, as if there was more that he wanted to say.

She nodded, her curiosity piqued. "That would be an interesting trial to watch. You and Phoenix? Two great minds, head-to-head. I might have to come watch the end of that one after I finish up my own trial. Speaking of mentors, where's that world-class brother of yours?" She said it sarcastically—Kristoph gave her a strange vibe that she wasn't fond of. He seemed suave, but in a creepy, less-than-pleasant sort of way.

Klavier grinned. "Late. Probably working on a case. You know how determined he gets." He looked around, glanced over his shoulders auspiciously, and then leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "I need to talk to you about tomorrow's tri—"

"_Kleine bruder_!" Kristoph Gavin made his entrance into the room, an amused smile dancing on his lips. Although his voice was less accented and Kristoph seemed to exude a certain class that Klavier didn't, they seemed to equal one another in arrogance and confidence. "I have the case file you requested."

Although he'd just been interrupted, Klavier barely skipped a beat. "_Danke_, Kristoph." He leaned back smoothly, waiting for Kristoph to greet Kiria before conversing with his brother in full German. She suddenly realized what it felt like to anyone else when she talked with her brother in full Japanese. She couldn't understand a word they were saying. Finally, they turned back to her. "I believe that the meeting is about to start, Fräulein Nomura," Klavier said, his eyes expressionless blue seas. Indeed, the organizer was gathering up her materials and settling herself into her chair at the front of the room.

Curiosity was eating her up, but she couldn't say anything in front of Kristoph if Klavier wanted to keep it a secret from his brother. Instead, she took a seat next to her friend and lifted her coffee for one last toast. He didn't disappoint her.

* * *

Three hours later, and the meeting was finally finished. She'd barely listened to what Ms. Kutsch was saying; impatience ran in her veins like fire in a crumbling house. "What was it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Kiria asked as soon as they'd watched Kristoph drive off in his dark blue Maserati. The cool night air whipped through her hair and bit at the skin of her neck and face as they stood outside and eyed the emptying parking lot.

Klavier motioned her over to his car, waiting for her to slip inside before he joined her. "It's about tomorrow's trial. Kristoph told me that something big is going to happen; something that Herr Wright is going to set into motion." His mouth was a hard line, as hard as the truth he was trying to tell her.

"Something big like what? What are you trying to tell me?" He was hinting at something, and she wasn't sure what exactly it was.

"_Forged evidence_." He hissed the word like it was something not to be mentioned, a forbidden topic among kosher conversations.

She blinked in surprise. "_What_?"

"I don't know what it will be. It will be obvious, is all he said." He shook his head. "Check his evidence." He slipped his sunglasses on, despite the darkness. "It was nice seeing you again, Kiria. We must get together sometime, ja?" He put on his motorcycle helmet, apparently satisfied with the end of the conversation.

"Yeah." She looked at him. "Klavier, what exactly is going on?"

He shook his head. "I don't know, Fräulein. I think that the only person that really knows . . . is Kristoph."

Somehow, that didn't reassure her.

* * *

The next morning, Kiria found herself tired and stressing over what Klavier had told her. Was he being serious? Or was this a horrible joke? She didn't know him well enough yet to tell either way. In either case, she'd go through his evidence. After all, Klavier had told her it would be obvious. Hopefully it would still be obvious to a person uninvolved in the case.

After the fifteen-millionth time she'd checked over his evidence and asked him about anything possibly suspicious he'd seen when he'd taken the case last night, Phoenix was starting to snap at her in exasperation.

"What are we looking for, other than 'something obvious'?" he asked.

"I don't know! That's all he said. Did you _personally_ pick up all of the evidence?"

"Yes, Kiria. I promise, I personally got all of my evidence from the crime scene and the police investigation. Everything's fine. Honestly, I know you're worried, but this is a little excessive, don't you think?"

She sighed with defeat. If she hadn't found it by now, she wasn't going to figure it out. "Sorry. I guess I'm just overreacting. Just be careful, okay? Don't take evidence from strangers." She stood up straight and stretched. "Maya and I are going to be in the next courtroom over; Edgeworth and I are facing one another again. Should be fun. I wonder if I can extort lunch from him again." She grinned. It was becoming a regular prize if she won. After all, the defense attorney and the prosecution should have a good relationship, right?

He waved her off. "Who's the apprentice around here? Go win your case; I could use a free lunch. Edgeworth usually takes us somewhere good." He stared at her when she hesitated. "Go do your thing and I'll do mine. We're lawyers, for heaven's sake, not worrywarts. Your case starts in a few minutes. Go meet with your client."

She sighed again. "Alright. Have a good trial. We'll be back after the trial ends."

"Bye, Nick!" Maya waved as she skipped after Kiria.

He watched them leave before Zak Enigmar appeared in front of him like a magic trick.

* * *

"…And that's the Prosecution's declaration of guilt upon the defendant. If the defense has any objections, it would be best to say them now."

Kiria rolled her eyes in reproach. "Now now, Mr. Edgeworth, you should know better than to even _invite_ that idea. The Defense maintains innocence. Now, Ralph Shi—"

She was suddenly cut off by a man bursting through the doors. She felt some annoyance; wasn't she allowed to give an opening statement anymore? What he said, however, had her stopping in her tracks. "Your Honor! I'm so sorry to interrupt the trial, but there has been a gathering of the main Judges and the Defense Council. The Defense Lawyer in Courtroom 7 has been accused of forging evidence!"

She didn't even have to ask who was accused. Klavier's warning was clear as crystal in the back of her mind.

Edgeworth seemed to have read her and Maya's faces. His expression quickly matched theirs: alarmed and worried. Immediately, he was saying something, but she wasn't listening. Instead, her brain whirred at top speed. What piece of evidence was it? What had she missed? Was it the whole journal? What about the photo?

The judge hit his gavel against the wooden post, snapping her out of her worrying. "Court will reconvene tomorrow at 10. Court is adjourned!"

She was spinning. Maya was pulling her into the lobby, into the next lobby. The doors of the courtroom were closed tightly and loomed over their heads like an insurmountable enemy. There was a small audience in the lobby, including Klavier and a man in an ostentatious yellow costume.

As soon as Klavier saw her, he stood and placed his hands on both sides of her shoulders. "The evidence; it was fraudulent. Kristoph was right." She was hearing the words coming out of his mouth, but they just weren't lining up in an order that made _sense_. She wasn't comprehending.

Maya wasn't taking it well either. Without anyone to protect, she had her arms wrapped around herself and silent tears coursing down her face. "What's going on? What's going to happen?"

She hadn't heard Edgeworth approach. "Presenting fraudulent evidence is the worst crime an Attorney can commit. It obscures the truth, sometimes to the extent of covering up what really happened."

"But what's going to happen?" she wailed.

"He'll probably be disbarred."

"D—Disbarred?" Kiria turned at that, shock in her eyes. "But . . . but he's got good standing with the court. Surely they'll be lenient?"

Edgeworth shook his head. "Not likely. Wright has dealt in some pretty high-profile cases and barely won a good number of times. They'll wonder how many pieces of forged evidence there really were. How many innocent people they've convicted."

Locked in her own denial, Kiria didn't notice Maya's thin limbs shaking. "B—But that isn't fair! Nick didn't do any of that stuff! And he'll lose his badge because of it?" When no one answered her, she seemed to lose all control, throwing herself at the door and clawing her short nails into the wood. "NICK! NIIIIIIIIIIIIICK!"

"Maya!" Kiria shouted, trying to snap the spirit medium back into reality. She wrapped her hand around one of Maya's arms and pulled back, but the girl didn't budge, continuing to shout at the top of her lungs as if her voice could save the doomed attorney inside. "Maya, snap out of it!"

The man in the yellow outfit stepped up to Maya's side. "Young lady, please! You could get us all kicked out of here."

"He's right, Maya," Edgeworth murmured. "Calm down. We don't know if Wright is going to be disbarred at all. It was an educated guess."

This seemed to quiet her down. She collapsed onto the couch, looking down at her feet with a downcast expression on her face. "Just an educated guess?"

"Just a guess. He might come out of there with no punishment."

Maya looked into his eyes. "I'm not a child, Mr. Edgeworth."

"No, no, I suppose not." He looked slightly abashed at her reprimand and looked at Kiria for aid, but she was staring at the door with a blank expression.

When the door finally opened, Phoenix Wright emerged, but not as Attorney at Law. He had been found guilty of presenting forged evidence.

"They want you in there," he murmured to Kiria. "I hope I didn't ruin everything."

She didn't say anything, but walked into the courtroom, half-afraid they were going to take her badge too.

* * *

When she came out of her own meeting with the Board of Inquiries, she came out looking exhausted. A solemn expression christened her face. "Anything new?" Klavier asked. She'd been in the courtroom for almost an hour now, and without any hint of what was going on inside, he wondered whether they hadn't punished her too.

"A warning. A very long, drawn-out warning." She sighed, collapsing onto the bench beside her German friend. Edgeworth seated himself on her other side, kicking his legs out in front of him. "Phoenix and Maya?"

"Gone. They wanted to stay, you understand, but—"

"_Herr_ Edgeworth? If you'll take a suggestion, I might suggest not bringing that up. After all, I think the poor _Fräulein_ has had more than enough of this conversation." His phone suddenly rang, the ringtone "_13 Years Hard Time for Love_" playing in its entirety before Klavier picked up. "Ja?" He chatted on the phone for a bit, completely conversing in German so that Kiria couldn't understand, before hanging up. By the time he'd put his phone away, she was staring at him with an amused expression. "What?"

"Are you so self-absorbed that you have your own song as your ringtone?" Kiria couldn't help asking. Edgeworth smirked in agreement.

"It's not self-absorbed, Kiria; it's heaven. I'm reminded of perfection every time I hear my phone." He grinned at her, obviously joking.

"Prosecutor Gavin, I believe that would be defined as self-absorbed." Edgeworth put a firm hand on Kiria's shoulder. "Shall I take you home? You need rest."

"I'm sorry, _Herr_ Edgeworth, but we have a meeting to go to." Klavier held up his phone. "That was the International Attorney Offices; we've got a mandatory meeting in a half-hour." He patted her hand. "Sorry. _Herr_ Edgeworth's proposal probably sounds better right about now."

She got to her feet without complaint. "It's alright. I can stand a half-hour meeting. Thank you, Mr. Edgeworth, but it sounds like I have places to be." She smiled at him, reminding herself that he had been kind enough to stay while everyone else left. "Shall we?" She turned to Klavier, holding her arm out for him to link with hers.

"My hog is in the parking lot." He tried to hide the laughter that was prompted by the look of disdain she had when he said that. "Let's go."

* * *

The tiny attorney clung to Klavier as he revved the bike and took off like a speeding bullet. She absolutely _hated_ this thing. Not only was it overly loud, but having to wear that giant helmet dampened any life her hair had when she took it off. "Why don't you drive a car again?" she shouted above the noise.

"Ah, but Kiria! Life would be boring without a little danger, ja?"

"I don't mind the danger! I mind the 200-decibel noise!" As she said that, her phone surprised her by cutting through the noise of the "hog". "Pull over! I'm getting a call, and unless you want me taking off this helmet while you're still driving, I would stop!"

He swerved to the right, braking quickly on the other side of the fog line. Kiria reached in her pocket, pulled out her phone, and placed it next to her ear. "Nomura."

"_Nomura-san? Oh, thank goodness, I must have called you three times now!_"

"Horiyama-_san_?" Her eyes opened wide with surprise at the fellow Japanese lawyer's voice. "What's wrong?"

"_Something's happened; Ava Kutsch is dead, and I've been charged with murder. It all just happened so fast that I don't know what happened!_"

"Ava?" The leader of the International Attorney Offices and premier Prosecutor had been loved. If she'd been a betting person, she wouldn't have bet on Ava Kutsch to have been murdered. "Ava's dead?" Beside her, she could see Klavier's furrowed brow. "I'll be there in a few minutes. Are you asking me to represent you?"

"_Please. Kristoph has offered, but I don't know that he'll understand what you will. I can't represent myself._"

No, not under current laws she couldn't. "I'll take your case."

"_Thank you. Please, hurry!_"

"I'm on my way." She hung up, and threw her arms around Klavier again. "Come on; we have to go."

"What were you saying about _Fräulein_ Kutsch?" he asked, putting his helmet on and waiting until she'd situated herself back on the bike before taking off.

"Apparently she's dead. Reiko Horiyama's been arrested for her murder. And I'm taking the case."

He put his head down and devoted all of his energy to driving over the speed limit.

* * *

They pulled up a few moments later. "_Kiria_!" Klavier called out to her as she rushed off the bike. "How are you planning on representing _Fräulein_ Horiyama? You don't have a law firm at the moment!"

Her eyes flew open with wide. As long as Phoenix Wright was disbarred, Wright and Co. Law Offices would probably be closed. She steeled her brow, the look of utter determination. "I don't need a law firm. I'll take it _pro bono_." She flew under the yellow "_Caution! Crime Scene" _tape to get to her client. "Gumshoe! Where's the defendant?"

The giant mass of a detective turned towards her, rubbing his square jaw like she'd just hit him. "No hello?"

"Hello. Now, where is my client?" she demanded.

He groaned. "Your client? Kristoph Gavin just came in and told me that he had accepted her defense request."

"_Excuse me?_ Rip that thing up right now, Detective, and lead me to Reiko Horiyama! She is _my_ client, who asked for _my_ services." She seemed furious. As Klavier watched from the distance, he could almost see steam rising off of her in thick waves as she raged at the poor detective. So much for not shooting the messenger.

"Hey, pal! No harm, no foul! Here, to even the playing field—" He handed her a manilla envelope. "The preliminary autopsy report. Now you can have it out with Mr. Gavin, pal, but leave me out of it!" He led her inside of the building, past Klavier's sight.

What was Kristoph up to? He flipped his phone open, started to dial, and then flipped it closed again. "What's going on in there?" he asked the nearest detective.

The detective glanced at him once in surprise, and then nodded. "The victim was bludgeoned with the defendant's cane. We're still investigating, Prosecutor Gavin. I'll keep you updated."

* * *

Kiria passed through the familiar rooms, knowing that she was getting close when bloodstains started littering the walls. "Kristoph! Back off of my client!" she barked as she saw him leaning over the seated Reiko.

He straightened back up. "I wasn't aware you could represent a client without a law firm. Forgive my oversight."

Reiko looked up at her in surprise. "Nomura-_san_? I thought you were working for—"

"It doesn't matter if I'm working for the dictator of North Korea; you do not just get to come in here and coerce my clients!" she snapped.

He kept his calm. "My apologies. Had I realized you were able to represent Ms. Horiyama, I would have never offered my services. If you'll excuse me," he said as he left the room.

"Perfect." She had probably overreacted, but since she didn't know what part he played in Phoenix's disbarring at the moment, she wasn't willing to trust him. "You _do_ still want me as your attorney, right?" she asked Reiko. She probably should have asked earlier, but it had slipped her mind.

"Of course!" The older Attorney nodded with a vigor that made her wonder if Kiria had scared her with her raging at Kristoph.

"Would you mind telling me what happened here?" she asked, figuring she needed some information if she was going to solve this case. "Did you murder Ava Kutsch?"

* * *

**A/N: Edited 9/7/11. Condensed 3 chapters into 1. Changed some things about the disbarring scene and meeting with Reiko. I'm finally getting somewhere!**


	6. Turnabout International: Investigation 1

**Chapter Five :: Turnabout International :: Investigation :: Day 1**

Reiko Horiyama had been a major defense attorney in Japan before moving to the United States at the age of 35. Now, as she sat in the designated chair until the detectives finished their investigations, she looked more like the victim than the supposed murderer. "Nomura-san. I . . . I didn't do it."

"What happened? Why do they think you killed Ava?" Kiria was leaned forward, fierce determination in her eyes. This was her chance to make up for what she'd let happen to Phoenix. Reiko was innnocent. It was time to show Kristoph Gavin what happened when he messed with the people close to her.

"My cane. Ms. Kutsch was bludgeoned to death with it. They've confiscated it, but . . . I just can't believe it." She shook her head as if she was trying to clear her head of a dream. _"Ava Kutsch was my friend. My friend, Nomura_," she said in Japanese.

"How did someone else kill her with your cane?"

"Kristoph Gavin, he helped me to my seat. I left my cane in the foyer."

Kiria pursed her lips. "Have they dusted the cane for prints yet?"

Reiko shook her head. "No. Listen to me, Nomura-san. No one here could have ever killed Ms. Kutsch. You know how everyone loved her. No one here has a motive."

Kiria sighed. She might have believed that, had today gone differently. "Walk me through what happened today, and I'll make my own call."

"We were waiting for the meeting to begin. Kristoph and I had been here since six, helping Ms. Kutsch with the paperwork needed to be filed. She'd went into the other room to take a phone call, and after a few minutes, we heard her screaming over the phone in German. She was incredibly worked up. Kristoph and I took a break. I don't know what she was saying, but Kristoph had to have known. I sat down in the room and tried to distract Kristoph from overhearing her call. We heard her slam down the phone, and start sobbing. We started working again. She stayed in that room maybe for . . . oh, an hour before I realized that we hadn't heard her in a while. She wasn't crying anymore. By this time, Annaliese Montreiu had come in. She said that she'd check on Ms. Kutsch. All of a sudden, she came out, screaming that there was a body. I couldn't see it; I can't walk without my cane, you know. Kristoph confirmed it, and Montrieu called the police. When they showed up, they arrested me."

"If she was beat to death, how did you not hear it? Was there no struggle?"

Reiko shook her head. "I don't know. All that I know is that she was alive, and then she was dead. We didn't hear anything, and I haven't seen the crime scene."

"I need to check out the crime scene. I'll be back in about twenty minutes, if they haven't taken you in for questioning yet." She paused, patting the older woman's hand gently. "Don't worry too much. I know that you didn't do it. We just need to find the true killer."

Reiko sighed. "_Nomura, don't fail me on this. You know I can't be declared guilty; my daughter is having her first child soon. I promised I'd be there._"

Kiria tried to smile reassuringly, but the stakes had just been raised. "_I won't fail you. If you're innocent, you'll be declared innocent. That's the law._" As she turned to walk away, she sighed with fatigue. If only the law always worked that way.

* * *

"Hey! Hey, you! Yeah, you! You can't be in here!"

Kiria looked at the detective squarely before showing her Attorney's Badge. "I'm the Defense."

"And I'm the detective. Think you're going to see this crime scene? Think again."

"I'm at least allowed to see the crime scene!" she protested. "What are you, the police?" He grinned, as if she'd said something funny. She thought back over her words before hitting her palm against her forehead. "I must be tired," she muttered to herself. "Listen, I've got to see that crime scene."

"And I've got to obey the law, as you should be doing. Sorry, but I can't let every chick just walk in here."

She threw up her hands, unprepared to deal with this. "Let me talk to your supervisor. Or better yet, go get me someone. Anyone. You pick a person, I'll deal with them."

He laughed. "And leave you alone in the crime scene? Yeah, only if I want my ass fired. Who are you, anyways?"

"I told you, I'm the Defense Attorney on the case."

"No, like, your name."

"Oh. Kiria Nomura. I work at Wright and Co. Law Offices."

"Daryan Crescend. I just got transferred to this division. Listen, I'll give you three minutes to do what you need to, but that's all. I'm gonna go chat with my fellow band member, and then when I come back, you'd better be gone, capiche?"

She nodded her approval. "Of course. Take your time."

He exited the room, and she fell upon it like a harried murderer trying to find an exit route. She inspected everything, even of little value, trying to piece together what had happened. The cane, propped up once again against the wall, was not bloodspattered, as she'd expected, but still pristine. Perhaps it had been wiped? She studied around it, trying to find some type of fingerprint, but couldn't see anything against the polished wood. She'd have to remember to ask Detective Crescend later.

The room layout was simple. There were two doors; one coming in from the main hallway, where Reiko and Kristoph would have heard her from, and the other leading to the case file room. Next to the case file-leading door was a large mahogany desk, polished to the same lustre as the cane. Papers littered the floor around the desk, although there was a neat stack of papers sitting in the grey ergonomic chair. She glanced at the title, but found that she couldn't understand it. The words were neither English nor Japanese, and there were a few symbols that she was unsure about how they even sounded, let alone meant. '_Maybe it's in German. Ava was German; could it have been a case she was working on?_' She shrugged, but took out her phone and snapped a picture of the front page. Maybe she could get Klavier to tell her what it was later.

To the left of the desk was a trash bin, which had no papers in it. '_Odd, since so many papers are on the floor,_' she mused. '_Especially crumpled ones. What if the killer was looking for something?_' Indeed, it was the only conclusion she could come to, since the normally clean office was littered with so much chaos. '_Or, I could just be making things that aren't there. It could be as innocent as she knocked everything over in her haste to get ready for the emergency meeting._' In any case, she made a mental note of it.

She checked her watch. She had about thirty seconds left if he was planning on giving her the whole three minutes. The rest of the office would have to wait. However, the case file she'd found sitting in the chair intrigued her, as did the open door. What about the bloodstains down the hall? Where had those come from? And where was the body? She glanced around furtively before darting into the smaller hallway. Perhaps the case file room could tell her a little more about what had happened here.

* * *

Kiria stepped into the small room, thoroughly aware of the ambient atmosphere. Something had happened in here; she could tell. It was charged with hostility, anger, betrayal. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Here she was again, making words describe what wasn't real. She was just freaking herself out. Perhaps nothing had happened in here.

She started glancing about the shelves, all lined with boxes filled with case files. She didn't have the time to open all of them; besides, the forensics team probably hadn't checked in here yet. She had to be careful not to touch anything, or she could be accused of a crime she hadn't committed.

Were any boxes missing? She couldn't say she knew; she'd only been in this room a couple times. Not enough to definitively tell whether a box was missing or not. Anything out of order? Not that she could tell. And yet, something about the room made her skin crawl, the same feeling as before. What was it about this room that gave her these strange feelings? She exited quickly, shaking her head. Nothing to be found in there.

* * *

She'd went back to try to talk to Reiko again, but the elderly woman had already been moved to the Detention Center. Detective Crescend was guarding his territory like a bulldog, and she couldn't think of anywhere else where she needed to search. She sighed inwardly. '_Talk about being unprepared for a trial. I don't know how she died, why she died, or who killed her. I don't know why Reiko was arrested, other than the fact that her cane was a possible murder weapon. We have blood everywhere in the main hallway, but no witnesses to explain why. We have an unidentified, silent killer. And then we have that case file with the cryptic name. What is going on here?_'

She found Klavier out front, still waiting patiently for her. "Ready to go home, Fraulein? It has been a long day for you, ja?"

She could have cried. "Longest day of my life. I've got no clues on the case, and I've got a question to ask you that I can't ask you until a Prosecutor has been named for the case. I'm flying blind right now."

"Let me take you home. You need lots of rest and food. Your client is going to need you in the courtroom tomorrow."

She dreaded the ride home on the motorcycle, but was too tired to be as indignant as before. She didn't even complain about the way the helmet crimped her hair. Her mind was spinning in circles, trying to solve the case of the dead International Attorney . . .

He dropped her off in front of her apartment complex, which was admittedly nice compared to many other Attorneys in the area. She came from a fairly rich family; her father had been a government worker until his death. Her older sister, Mariko, was a fashion designer in Japan, who would routinely send her new clothing to wear. She herself had been a dancer through college, earning money before it was technically legal for her to do so. It was only through these things that she was able to afford her large three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath apartment on the top floor of the complex.

She trudged up the stairs to her apartment, unlocking it and wanting nothing more than to collapse on the couch, but saw the answering machine light blinking. She hit the button, and the automated voice rang through the house before her client's voice replaced it. But not Reiko Horiyama. Her eyes flew open as soon as she'd realized what she'd done. She was only halfway through the trial with Edgeworth she'd been in before Phoenix had been disbarred. She had two trials tomorrow.

She cursed in Japanese before running to find the other case file for tomorrow's trial.

* * *

**A/N: First real trial. :D Trial 2 in Kiria Nomura: Ace Attorney [The First Year]. Anyone wanna guess what happened from the evidence presented earlier?**

**R&R please! :D**


	7. Turnabout International: Trial 1

**Chapter Six :: Turnabout International :: Trial :: Day 1**

The first trial of the day was the one that had been interrupted the day before. She'd quickly seen the downfall of having two clients; if she didn't wrap this trial up quickly, she wouldn't be in Courtroom 4 for the other trial she had agreed to. It was her own fault; she couldn't ask for the trial to be cut short. She had one more day to wrap up this trial, and then it would be over. Unfortunately, there were two more days for the other trial. She sighed. How had she screwed up so badly?

She hadn't even contacted her mentor, assuming that he wouldn't be in the mood to hear about her legal troubles, considering his were far worse. Now all of his old cases were being reviewed for forged evidence. Some of the people he'd worked so hard to declare innocent might be found guilty, Maya included.

She glanced down at her cell phone. She'd called the Spirit Medium that morning, and Maya had promised to be there if she was needed, but that otherwise she was going to be with Phoenix. "_I could use the support, but not as much as the fallen,_" she murmured to herself, waiting in the lobby for her client.

"Excuse me?" Edgeworth asked, coming up in front of her.

She shook her head. "Just talking to myself."

"Does it make it easier, knowing a language no one else here knows? Certainly makes it more private." He seated himself next to her, although they technically weren't supposed to have contact until the trial started.

"It's nice, most of the time. I can talk to myself during the trial without nosy Prosecutors listening in to my strategies." She grinned, elbowing him.

He nodded at the cell phone in her hand. "How's Wright?"

"Maya says he's hardly said anything. Doesn't speak much. Won't eat anything. Didn't sleep at all last night."

"He's grieving the death of his career. Understandable. And Maya Fey is—"

"—Staying with him until he starts acting normally. Probably even after that. One of these days, she's got to go back to Kurain though. As Master, she can't stay away for too long. Responsibilities. Besides, Pearl misses her." She had to smile slightly at the thought of the tiny girl who seemed to be so enamored with the idea of her cousin and the lawyer becoming an item.

He looked down the hallway. "Your client is coming." He rose, walking away before starting to remember something. "Oh, and the normal deal is off; I've got a trial to get to after this. Should the trial end today, that is."

She did a doubletake. Was he prosecuting the same trials as she was defending? "That's fine; I have to get to a trial as well, actually. If it ends today, we'll reschedule." A corner of her mouth suddenly turned up in a smirk. "After all, we both know it's going to be you losing. I _do_ love a free lunch." She didn't watch for his reaction, but rose from her seat to greet her client. "Mr. Ross? I believe it's time to get into the courtroom. The trial is about to start."

* * *

The charges were serious: murder and grand theft auto. Kiria had to take a deep breath as she walked into the courtroom, remembering what had happened yesterday. The remnants of the bad incident hovered around her. She couldn't let them get to her. To her client, she was a symbol of hope and salvation. And the truth.

"Would the Prosecution give its opening statement?" the Judge asked as soon as the courtroom settled into silence.

"Of course, your Honor. As the Prosecution stated yesterday, the facts stand thus: the defendant, Edward Ross, was the only person found at or even remotely _near_ the crime scene other than our witness, Ralph Shiller. The defendant stole the victim's car before tracking her down and killing her with a single gunshot. Her autopsy revealed that she had been shot in the back, and that the ballistics were the same as on the gun with Mr. Ross's fingerprints. He then proceeded to drive away, only stopped because our witness had the sense to call the police. Those are the facts, no matter how the Defense attempts to change them."

"Ah, yes, I remember. Do you have anything to add, Ms. Nomura? I do believe that this case has wrapped up nicely."

_Like hell I'm giving up now. We're not even four minutes into the trial and Edgeworth already has the Judge on his side._ Kiria nodded. "I'd like to combat the charges one at a time, if the Prosecution would allow that?"

"Please, Ms. Nomura. Proceed."

She nodded, giving a small smile in thanks. "First, on the charge of grand theft auto. The Defense would like to call a witness."

"And who might that be?"

"The Defense would like to ask Ralph Shiller to return to the stand to testify. I believe I see him in the stands, waiting to be called as a witness, actually."

Edgeworth smiled. "I like to be prepared. The Prosecution has no objections and requires no time to prepare the witness."

The Judge hit the gavel against the wooden stand. "Then the Court calls Ralph Shiller to the stand."

* * *

Ralph Shiller was a smaller man with a chest that he liked to puff up when he was nervous, Kiria noticed. He also seemed fond of hitting his fist against his heart whenever he spoke about something he was firm about. In the last two minutes, he had done both, whether in his ritual of pumping himself up for war or hide his uncertainty. She'd been about to call him on something yesterday, but for the life of her, she couldn't remember what.

_That's right. Prepare for war, Shiller. I don't have the time to play around like yesterday. _"I think we're ready for the testimony now?" she suggested as the court stenographer grabbed a new sheet of paper.

"Indeed. Witness, state your name and profession."

The man grimaced. "_Again?_ You city-dwellers really have no memory, huh? Ralph Shiller; I repair cars."

Edgeworth sighed. "And just to refresh the court's memory, what were you doing the day of the incident?"

"I'd been working on Violet's car earlier in the day. I'd come back out to check on it when I saw that man just swoop in and take it!"

"Would you mind testifying about this in more detail? I'd assume that this is where the Defense has a problem."

Kiria nodded. "Yes, Mr. Shiller, would you testify about the car that the victim, Violet Harmond, placed in your care. Including your bit about Mr. Ross there at the end."

He shrugged. "Sure. Violet had been having car troubles for a while now; she was coming in every week or so. Kept saying that the car wouldn't start. She said her husband wasn't giving her any help with it either, so she'd appreciate if I could look at it. This was probably the third or fourth time she'd come in with it this month. I'd just finished up with a customer in the building when I went back out to the garage, and that's where he was. As soon as he saw me, he started shouting at me all agitated-like, asking me where Violet was. When he realized I wasn't talking, he tore out of there like nobody's business."

She wasn't really quite sure what the last phrase meant, but even without her comprehension, there were some holes to fill up, first of which to clear up the grand theft auto charge. "Did Violet Harmond ever mention her husband's name?"

Ralph puffed out his chest. "No, not that I remember. We talked about him a few times, but I don't think she ever said his name."

"Wait a second. You two talked about him? Wouldn't you think that strange, for a customer and serviceman? Why would you speak about him?"

"Objection," Edgeworth threw out lazily. "The Defense is reaching."

"Objection! The nature of the relationship between Ms. Harmond and Mr. Shiller is important."

"Overruled. Answer the question, Mr. Shiller."

Ralph resembled a pufferfish with how much he was sticking his chest out there. "I have good customer service."

"I would doubt that, actually. After all, Ms. Harmond had taken her car in three times in the past month? At this point, I know that I would pick a new repairman. What exactly was the nature of your relationship with Ms. Harmond?" She could see Mr. Ross stiffen at the question. He was already guessing where this was going. _Ah, perhaps this is going a little far. I don't mean to smear the name of the dead, but . . . _

If he could have puffed out his chest any more, he'd have been floating like a hot air balloon. "Str-strictly business."

"Excuse me? English isn't my first language; I couldn't understand with your stuttering. The _true_ nature of your relationship."

"Nomura, if you're going somewhere with this, evidence would be more prudent than pressuring the witness to say what you want him to say. Produce some proof if you're going to claim that the relationship was more than business."

"TAKE THAT!" She whipped her finger out there, her other hand holding up the latest invoice from Violet Harmond at Shiller's Auto Repair.

"Why, that's the invoice! But what does that prove?" the Judge asked.

"Flip it over, your Honor."

"A parts list? But Ms. Nomura, I fail to see how this proves your point. I thought you were proving that Violet Harmond's relationship to Mr. Shiller was more than a business relationship."

Kiria smirked. "Your Honor, this is a special type of paper called carbonless copy paper. You write on the top sheet, and it copies what you've written onto the sheets below it."

Edgeworth's eyes shot open as he realized what she was getting at. "But since there was writing on the back . . ."

". . . Exactly. This invoice was a farce. If you write on the back, the paper becomes useless. There are no other copies of this because Mr. Shiller wrote on the back of the paper; it was meant for an alibi."

"An alibi? For whom?"

"Violet Harmond, of course. She was spending quite a bit of time getting her car fixed, wouldn't you say? Add that onto the false invoice, and I think the Prosecution may be seeing what I'm getting at."

"An affair."

Kiria nodded. "Exactly."

The Judge puzzled over this for a second. "But . . . what does this have to do with our existing trial, Ms. Nomura?"

"If we think about how Mr. Ross fits into this, it becomes crystal clear. He comes in, asking where Violet is. When Mr. Shiller doesn't talk, he gets into the car and drives off. But how can he drive off? Mr. Shiller may leave the doors unlocked, but as we ascertained yesterday, he doesn't leave the keys in the ignition."

Ralph pounded his chest. "I assumed he'd hotwired the car."

Kiria shook her head. "Let's think about this even more simply. After all, it takes a little time to hotwire a car, and unless Mr. Ross was very familiar with it, it would have been impossible to get the car to turn on before you stopped him, correct?"

"Are you suggesting that Mr. Ross had a key?" Edgeworth asked.

Kiria nodded. "Indeed, I am. Which, shall we ask the defendant? Mr. Ross, you told me you were widowed. Might I ask who your wife is?"

The man in the defendant's seat sighed heavily. It must have been hard for him to watch this trial, finding out the truth. "Violet. Violet Harmond."

The courtroom erupted with sound. Kiria only shouted over the noise, "It makes sense for him to have a key then, wouldn't it?"

"Order! Order!" The Judge hammered the stand. "Go on, Ms. Nomura."

"If Mr. Ross was indeed the husband of Violet Harmond, then there would be absolutely no reason to accuse him of grand theft auto! California is a Community Property State; if the car was purchased during their marriage, the car would be both of theirs. Now, when was the car purchased?"

"The Prosecution requires more proof as to Violet Harmond's spouse. Where is the marriage certificate? Why does she go by her maiden name? The Prosecution finds that it is impossible to judge the Defendant until further evidence is obtained."

The Judge nodded. "This Court finds itself in a precarious position. All further evidence _must_ be presented tomorrow. I trust that the Prosecution and the Defense both know what they are looking for. Court is dismissed!"

Kiria glanced at her watch. She'd cut it close on that one. She was going underequipped into her next trial with nothing more than her client's word, a report that she had no idea what the title was, and an overturned wastebasket. That was, if she could run across the courthouse in time.

* * *

_Two minutes to spare. _Last _time I ever take on two cases at once. Too much stress._ Kiria doubled over to catch her breath before entering the courtroom. Reiko was already hobbling over to her, this time with a different cane from her normal wooden one.

"I'd expected you to be here earlier," she chided. "Arriving late is a wonderful way to scare your client."

She waved off the older attorney's criticisms. "I just came from another trial. You're lucky I made it here in time for yours. I'd hoped there would be more time between them."

"I heard that the Prosecution is a new lawyer. _If we're lucky, he'll be some hotshot that thinks he's much better than he is_." Reiko smiled. "You'll do fine."

"I don't know anything about the trial, so don't place too much hope in me. I'm going to get you proclaimed innocent, but . . . _it may be a rocky start_."

"Let's get in the courtroom. Last thing I need is a penalty for being late. I've already got heart problems." The older woman placed a gnarled hand over her heart as Kiria held the door open for her.

* * *

Kiria checked her watch. Yep, the Prosecution was officially late. This kid had to be new, to be late to a trial.

"Excuse me! So sorry I'm late, your Honor! My mentor was finishing up a trial, and I felt like I needed to be prepared before running headlong into my first trial, wouldn't you say?"

Kiria's head snapped toward the direction of the voice. It was so familiar. If she wasn't mistaken, that was . . . "Nathan?"

He looked up at her as he took his place on the other side of the courtroom. "Kiria! Well, well! Who would have expected us to face in our first court battles together!"

"Not my first case, sorry. And your mentor . . ." was of course Miles Edgeworth. The dark-haired man followed after his pupil.

"The Prosecution would bear well in mind that being on time is a major determinant of being prepared." The Judge hit his gavel against the stand a few times. "Would the Prosecution mind introducing himself?"

"But of course, your Honor! Nathaniel Price, at your service. I'm ready to defend the people, and imprison the murderer of Ava Kutsch—who, might I add, is right here in this courtroom with us!"

"Objection! The trial hasn't even started yet! The Prosecution's claims are defenseless!"

"Now Kiria, I wouldn't call them—"

"—Objection!"

He grumbled and rolled his eyes before backing off. "Nathaniel Price, your Honor."

The Judge looked back and forth between the two young lawyers. "I would assume that the Defense and the Prosecution know each other?" he asked.

"That assumption would be correct, your Honor. Mr. Price and I were friends in college. We both studied at Berkeley."

The Judge nodded. "I should hope that your friendship should not affect the outcome of this case, nor in turn be affected. It is heartening, to see the Defense and Prosecution lawyers working together, friends striving for the truth." He cleared his throat, apparently done with his abstract daydreaming. "Oh that note, the trial has begun. Will the Prosecution please give its opening statement?"

"Yes, your Honor. Last night, Ms. Ava Kutsch was murdered. This is a blow to the entire legion of International Attorneys, as Ms. Kutsch was the main director of the Los Angeles sect. However, this is also a blow to the legal system in general. Ms. Kutsch was a world renowned lawyer, and she will be missed."

"Can we get to the trial one of these days?" Kiria asked, putting some pressure on the new attorney. Now was not the time to talk about the greatness of the victim.

Nathan cleared his throat nervously. "Of course. The Prosecution submits the autopsy report to the Court. "

"The Court accepts this into Evidence."

"As you might have noticed, the autopsy report is a little strange—there is no perceived cause of death." Kiria's eyebrows furrowed. There had been blood everywhere. How could the medical examiners not report _any_ cause of death? "The body was apparently too destroyed to say any cause of death accurately. The Defendant was arrested at the time because of the supposed murder weapon, which the Prosecution also submits into evidence. This cane, which belongs to the Defendant, was dusted for prints, and the only ones found were the ones of the Defendant. However, there are also traces of blood on the cane, which we have ascertained are the victim's.

"Since this is the only clue that we have to Ms. Kutsch's death, we must pursue it to the end." Nathan took another breath before finishing his first opening statement. "Reiko Horiyama will confess to the murder by the end of this trial!"

"Objection! The Prosecution's claim is unjustified."

"Sustained. Does the Defense have anything to combat the Prosecution's other claims?"

Kiria nodded. "Of course. The charges against my client are ludicrous. The Prosecution is charging her for _murder _because she has remnants of blood on her cane? Who knows when those happened to get on the Defendant's cane? Who says that the real murderer wasn't wearing gloves, and so left no trace? The Prosecution has not proven anything yet."

The Judge pondered over the information given. "I'm afraid that I'm inclined to agree with the Defense. The Prosecution's claims seem to be unjustified, and without much evidence. Unless the Prosecution has decisive evidence . . ."

"Objection! How can we allow the Defense to get away with this travesty? I have only implied that there is a _chance_ for Ms. Horiyama's guilt, and the Defense has implied that there is a chance that she is innocent."

"Objection! The Prosecution is also missing a motive! Why would Ms. Horiyama kill Ms. Kutsch? Ms. Kutsch was loved; what would Ms. Horiyama have to gain from her death?"

"Patience, Kir—Ms. Nomura. Would you expect all questions to be answered instantly?" He smiled at her, although he made it completely clear that he was mocking her now. This was a crucial trial; influence with the Judge was just as important as the evidence presented.

"Perhaps we should start from the beginning, Mr. Price. Obviously you had an idea of how you'd run this trial. Where do we go from here? Until we know what killed her, it is impossible to say where to start."

"And there's where you're wrong. The Prosecution would like to call Annaliese Montrieu as a witness!"

"Ah, Ms. Montrieu? Lovely young lady. Bring her in! Does the Prosecution require time to prepare the witness?"

Nathan shook his head. "I don't believe so. She is a Prosecutor of some renown; she knows that the truth is all that we require."

* * *

"Monsieur Judge, Mademoiselle Nomura." Annaliese curtsied politely as she took the stand, flipping gorgeous red curls over her shoulders. "Monsieur Price, Edgeworth. What can I testify to?"

"The truth. What happened that night? Please, try to recall everything you saw."

She nodded. "What I saw . . . mon dieu. I'd come into the building at a call from Madame Kutsch. However, when I arrived, she was nowhere to be seen. Madame Horiyama and Monsieur Gavin were there—the older Monsieur Gavin, that is—filing papers. I asked where Madame Kutsch was, and received the answer that she was in her office. I assisted them in their task for a while, until we had finished. Madame Horiyama said she was going to go to the Evidence Room to pick up another box. Monsieur Gavin gave her the cane so that she could walk, and we waited for her to arrive."

"You didn't see the problem that she couldn't carry a box and hold onto her cane at the same time?" Kiria asked. "There would be no way to carry a box and walk at the same time."

"Ah, Madame Horiyama told us she could probably make it back to the main room with the box, if one of us would get her cane for her again once she'd returned. Neither Monsieur Gavin nor I saw a problem with this."

"And why was it so important that Ms. Horiyama get the box?"

Nathan cleared his throat. "If you wouldn't mind, Ms. Nomura, to wait for the cross-examination before you start badgering the witness?"

_Badgering! I'm not badgering! Oh, you'll see badgering soon, Nathan._ But she fell silent anyways, accepting that she was out of her jurisdiction. "Forgive me, Ms. Montrieu. Please, continue with your testimony."

"Madame Horiyama seemed to be taking a long time, so I went to see what was wrong. The Evidence Room was empty, but the passage to Madame Kutsch's chambers was open. Curiosity got the better of me, I believe, and I peered inside the office. What I saw was . . . mon dieu, I cannot say." She clutched at her heart. "There was a bloody mess inside of the office, and Ms. Horiyama's cane, just sitting there next to the body."

"Where was Ms. Horiyama at this time?" Nathan asked, his brown eyes suddenly sparkling with some knowledge that Kiria knew she wouldn't be happy to hear.

"She was in the hallway. There was a trail of bloody handprints leading to the woman as she'd leaned against the wall to assist her escape."

"Better than a trail of breadcrumbs, wouldn't you say?" Nathan grinned, happy that he'd found the upper hand. "I hand the witness into your care, Ms. Nomura."

The Judge nodded. "Let the cross-examination begin!"

"Why was it so important that Ms. Horiyama be the one who got the box from the Evidence Room? It seems to me that she would be the last person you'd want to get a box, since she was the one person who couldn't carry it without assistance."

"Monsieur Gavin said that she had arrived before him, and that she knew what box the next stack of files went into."

"And he didn't feel the need to accompany her?"

"No. She was protesting as he got up, saying that it made no sense for two of them to be disrupted, since she was already standing."

Something was weird there, but she didn't have anything to say against it. "You didn't hear anything strange? It seems that if the body is so mutilated that the coroner has problems identifying it, there would be some noise made."

Annaliese shook her head. "Not a peep. I have to admit, I thought it weird at first too. But there are some thick walls in the building; you know that, Mademoiselle Nomura."

"I don't know that they're thick enough to muffle a murder."

"Simple. The killing blow could have been first," Nathan conjectured.

Kiria's eyebrows rose skeptically. "And then the murderer just beat the body until it was impossible to tell? You'd think that they'd be more concerned about escaping than hiding their _modus operandi_."

Nathan shook his head. "Actually, think about the problem with this trial. The killer was apprehended, but it's hard to prove her involvement because we don't know _what_ killed our victim. It's brilliant, really. We place so much emphasis on the evidence that when we don't have that decisive piece—"

"—the trial starts going to pieces," Kiria murmured, seeing what he was getting at.

"And who would know that? Only two types of people-the people that investigate the scenes and those that defend justice. The police and lawyers."

Uh oh. This trial was spiraling out of control. "Your Honor! The Defense requests another day to gather evidence. Although the Defense acknowledges that the Prosecution's theory of the first blow being fatal is _possible_, it is almost impossible to kill someone with a wooden cane, as presented by the Prosecution as the possible murder weapon."

The Judge nodded. "I have to admit that it is quite . . . difficult, dealing with the abstract in a murder case. Both the Prosecution and the Defense are charged with finding more evidence to support their claims. Thank you, Ms. Montrieu, for your testimony. I believe it may assist these lawyers tremendously." He banged the gavel against the stand. "Court is dismissed!"

Kiria took a deep breath. That wasn't going in the direction she'd wanted it to. She had two cases to investigate for and half the time to solve both of them. She should probably also check in on Phoenix. _Just when I thought everything was under control,_ she thought before beginning to pack up the evidence from the trial.

* * *

**A/N: VERY long chapter, although this is probably how long normal trial chapters will be, if not longer. c: I'm liking more substance to the chapters. What does everyone think of Nathan? I hope you're fond of him; you'll be seeing him for a while.**


	8. Turnabout International:Investigation 2a

**Chapter Seven :: Turnabout International :: Investigation :: Day 2 :: Part 1**

_Crunch time. I'm staying at the International Attorney Headquarters until they kick me out, and then I'm going to have a chat with that lovely Ralph Shiller. And possibly get a bit more from my client. Why do I have the feeling that something's not right here?_ Kiria pondered the cases. The second case—well, what little she'd figured out, anyways—seemed as cryptic as before. It was the first case, the one whose murder charge accompanied grand theft auto, that concerned her. Not all of the facts were lining up, especially about how Mr. Ross knew about his wife's affair. She had the weird feeling that tomorrow, something was going to turn the trial on its head.

"Kiria!"

She cursed under her breath. She'd been hoping that she could get out without being caught up. She didn't have the time! She had two cases to solve, which was more than most Attorneys took on in two weeks!

She turned to the voice. Nathan Price was running after her, waving his hands around excitedly. "Nate!" she greeted him, watching Edgeworth follow him. "You know, it's impolite to leave your mentor."

"Haha, very funny. When'd you move to LA? It was like, you graduated from Berkeley, and no one heard from you again." He ruffled her hair affectionately.

"Hey, knock that off!" She tried to fix what he'd screwed up. "I got a call from Silvia not too long after passing the bar exam."

"She still dancing?"

"Yeah. Unfortunately, she got herself into the same position that I put Coach in a few years ago. She needed a lawyer and wanted to know if I knew any in the LA area. Of course I didn't, but she called me a few days later, talking about the Defense Attorney she'd hired. It seemed like he needed some help around the office, and since I'd just gotten my certification, I applied."

Edgeworth looked between the two young lawyers. They'd shared some past together, he realized, and as vague as she was being, it was an unpleasant part of their past. Nathan seemed unshaken. "The attorney got her off the hook?"

Kiria laughed. "No, it wasn't quite the same situation. The dancer was suing her, claiming that it was because of her regimen. The attorney cleared Silv's name; I think the other one's in jail right now. Drug dealing—at least a five-year sentence."

He whistled. "And who is this magical attorney? Because I'd like to say, that's pretty impressive."

She chuckled. "I sure haven't done anything like that. Of course, he's not an attorney anymore. Phoenix Wright, you know, from Wright and Co. Law Offices?"

He shook his head. "I saw the news last night. Forging evidence? Guess I know how he got Silv off the hook."

"Nathan!" She shook her head. "He doesn't forge evidence. Let me be the first to tell you that he's honestly one of the best attorneys I've met. Ever. I've just got to pick up the slack, now that he's been disbarred."

"You're still working at Wright and Co.? You're not going to move to Gavin Law Offices? I've heard that Kristoph Gavin is a rising Defense star."

"Over my dead body. I'll work for Kristoph when he digs up my bones and puts them in an office."

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "You seem awfully . . . disgusted with Mr. Gavin."

"Assume it's because of this trial. Speaking of the trial, how could the coroner not be able to tell the killing blow? I've heard of pretty beat up corpses, but I've always had a cause of death to rely on."

Nathan nodded. "The Chief Prosecutor said that he would continue to look into it. It sounds like we've perplexed the entire Medical Examiner's Office with our victim. They don't even really know that it's Ava Kutsch; they're guessing based on blood type and who was in the building."

"It was _that_ destroyed?"

"Oh yeah. We're hoping to get an affirmative by tomorrow, but don't expect it. Tomorrow is probably going to be just as many circles as today. Make sure you have evidence next time." He winked and clapped her shoulder. "Anyways, I've got to get back to the ME Office. See if they have any results for me yet. I'll send an updated copy with the detective on the case."

"Thanks, Nathan. This trial's a killer compared to my first one. A month of experience hasn't really prepared me for this trial. I can't even imagine how you're doing."

He grinned. "I don't think I'm supposed to tell you how I'm doing on this case. Something about Prosecutors and Defense Attorneys not supposed to fraternize during the trial. Keep an eye out for the detective. Crescend is on a new case."

"Then who's the detective?" she asked as he began to walk away.

"Gumshoe. He's probably at the Precinct right now getting caught up on the case. Until later, Kiria."

"Yup. Keep me updated. Good luck, Nate. Don't kill him yet, Mr. Edgeworth; he's infuriating, but only until he knows what's going on." She smiled angelically until he walked out of the room. Then she sighed emphatically. "_This job is going to kill me one of these days._"

* * *

The first stop was the International Attorney Headquarters. It was close enough to the courthouse to walk there, and yet, she was cursing her decision to wear heels as soon as she stepped outside. _They make me feel more confident, but what was I thinking? I don't have time to go home and change shoes. I'm going to be dead on my feet by the end of the day._

The Headquarters were still swarming with police. Kiria held up her attorney's badge, although it was pretty much common knowledge that she was the defense attorney on the case, since the case was so popular at the moment. Anytime there was a problem inside of the legal system, the media sensationalized it. She chuckled to herself as she avoided the cameras. _And the press wonders why we're their sworn enemies._

The office was just as she remembered it yesterday; no body, no bloodstains, nothing out of the ordinary. The murder couldn't have occurred in the office, and yet, the body was found in there. There was a tape outline on the ground, but there wasn't even any blood on the carpet. Something strange was going on, and Kiria was determined to get down to business.

The report caught her eye again as it sat serenely on the chair. Quickly, Kiria took out her phone and texted the picture to Klavier. _'Hey, I know you're not the Prosecutor on this case, so I can ask you this. Is this in German? What does it say? Thanks; remind me I owe you dinner soon. Kiria.'_

With one mystery in the process of being solved, she began to scour the office again. The papers on the floor were still crumpled, and her curiosity got the better of her. She smoothed one out gently. Blood stained the innermost center of it. Why were these papers spattered with blood? And a better question, why were they crumpled on the floor? She smoothed another one out, reading the title. _MX-12 Incident _read the top. The other one was MX-14. As she uncrumpled all of them, she couldn't find any similarities between them. Why were these case files in here? What conspiracy had happened here?

"Pal?" Kiria jumped about fifteen feet in the air as she turned toward the voice behind her. "Whoa, pal, sorry about that. Didn't mean to scare ya. Everything alright?"

Detective Dick Gumshoe, the detective she worked with every time she battled Edgeworth in the courtroom, stood in front of her, his abused coat hanging off of his cheerful form in an almost pathetic manner. He'd just got a new one a few years ago apparently. If this was the new one, she cringed at what the old one must look like.

"Detective Gumshoe. Did Nath—Mr. Price send you with anything?"

He grinned. "He said you'd be expecting a new autopsy report. Not much new on this one either. Just the blood type."

"Do they know whether it's Ms. Kutsch yet?" she asked. "Can't they tell whether it's Ms. Kutsch's blood?"

He shook his head. "The hemo—whatchamacallit, blood analysis thingy—it can't tell who the blood belongs to, only give us a sketch of the victim. So far everything's in line with the victim being Ava Kutsch though."

"Ah. Thank you, detective." She accepted the report and placed it in her messenger bag. "Any new information about the case?" She was suddenly hyperaware of the uncurled sheets behind her.

"Nope, nothing new that didn't come up in the trial. Man, this is a really strange trial. I mean, I thought I saw some weird ones under Mr. Edgeworth and Wright, but this is somethin' else." He shook his head. "No cause of death? I mean, you'd think that they'd have some idea of what killed her, right?"

Kiria shrugged. "I can't say I know any better than the coroner. Detective, do you know anything about the MX-12 case? Or MX-14?"

"Whoa, whoa, pal! Those are two totally unrelated cases. Closed too, might I add. Why do you want to know more about them?"

Kiria sighed. The detective would find her handiwork sooner or later. "These sheets. There's blood on them, and they're labelled the MX-12 and MX-14 cases. I'm trying to find the connection."

"Here's an MX-13 and an MX-10. Kinda weird; these cases don't have anything to do with one another."

"Nothing?"

"Absolutely nothing. I worked on MX-12 with Mr. Edgeworth, and Mr. Wright did MX-10, I think, but the other two, I don't really know about other than what I've heard. But they're all closed. What are they doing in here?"

Kiria looked up, trying to imagine up a reason. "They should be in the Case File Room . . . which the files in the Room are categorized by case file number. These would all be from the same box. Thanks, Detective!" With that, she ran into the next room.

* * *

The Case File Room had been swept of any possible evidence by now, she could tell. The cobwebs in the farthest corners had been dusted out. She could resume her search for the box where the papers would have been in by now.

She hunkered down in her search, finding the M files quickly, but having to search a little more to find the MX files. As she was about to delve into the MT files, something shifted behind her.

"Detective?" she called, whipping around quickly. The same feelings as she'd had the day before flooded back into her: rage, hostility, anger, betrayal. More movement, this time to her left. "Who's there?"

A young girl, maybe ten or twelve stepped out from the files. She was translucent, but Kiria could still tell that she had beautiful blonde hair and green eyes. Her stance was timid, her lips thin from fear. "You . . . can see me?"

Kiria felt suddenly light-headed. She took in a breath through narrow lips, suddenly very aware that she wasn't in the room with another human being. "What . . . what's going on?"

"Who are you?" the girl asked in response. "Have you seen my mom?"

She sucked in another breath. "Your mom? Who . . . what . . .?" She inhaled another breath. "My name is Kiria Nomura. I'm a Defense Attorney. Who . . . is your mom?"

"Evangeline Illane. She works here. I'm scared—I've been here for a whole day now. Why isn't she here?"

She'd never heard the name before. The only one that she'd ever known of that had worked at the headquarters was Ava Kutsch. "I don't know where she is," she lied. "What's your name?"

"Madeleine."

She nodded, committing the name to memory. "Why don't you come with me for now? I'll find out some way to help you." She was going to Maya first thing, no matter how much she had left to do. Maybe the stress was getting to her, but she wasn't supposed to be able to see ghosts!

The girl shook her head adamantly. "My mom said not to move! I'll already be in trouble!"

Kiria nodded. "Alright. Okay, I'll go get you help. Does that sound good?"

Madeleine nodded her head. "Don't take too long!" she called after Kiria when she exited.

Gumshoe seemed to see her gaunt expression as she stumbled back into the office. "Hey, pal, you okay? I heard you talking to yourself in there."

She nodded gently before running out the door. She needed to talk to Maya Fey _now._

* * *

Maya Fey was currently sitting on the couch of a disbarred lawyer, who, for that matter, wouldn't talk to her at all. She'd tried everything; she'd offered to lend him her Steel Samurai episodes, she'd made him lunch, she'd done everything she could think of to do. Nothing was working at all. He was still moping about, and Maya was pretty close to calling Mia and having her knock some sense into him.

"Maya? Phoenix? Open the door!"

She glanced over at Nick. He was sitting in his chair, his eyes closed, chin against his chest. She would have guessed that he was sleeping if he hadn't slept so badly last night. Her finger trailed over the shoulder of his t-shirt as she got up to open the door to yet another lawyer.

"Kiria? Don't you have court . . . ?" She glanced at the clock. "I guess your trial would be over by now, huh? Come on in. Maybe you can talk some sense into Nick."

The Japanese lawyer looked paler than Maya had ever seen her, and she was practically wobbling on her heels as she walked inside. There was a half-crazed look in her eye, but her expression changed quickly when she saw her former mentor. "Phoenix? He looks like hell," she murmured to Maya.

Maya shook her head. "You can say that again. He won't talk to me now. Everything that he ever worked for, now gone. Well, that, and his client just left his daughter. She's in one of the other rooms playing now. Cute kid, but not what Nick needs right now."

There was something in Maya at the moment that made Kiria think of Mia. It was perhaps the passion she spoke with, or the maturity she was showing. "Does Pearls know?" she asked.

"Pearly? Nah, not yet. I haven't had the heart to tell her, especially not in front of Nick. She won't find out until I tell her, thanks to Aunt Morgan's strict 'no television' rule. Even though she's in jail, Pearly still follows her rules."

Kiria nodded. "There's something in people, when they lose someone, to revert back to what that person told them. It's like . . . their way of keeping them alive. Maybe that's what Pearls is up to."

It prompted nothing but a shrug from Maya. "How'd your trial go?"

"Trial_s_. I decided last night that I apparently needed to try to take on more than I could chew again, and take two trials at once. The one you were at yesterday? The victim was cheating on her husband with the auto mechanic. Something's not right about that though; it just seems strange that things are wrapping up so nicely. Mr. Ross isn't telling me something, and I've got to find out what."

"What's the second case?"

"There was a murder in the International Attorney Headquarters. A fellow Japanese lawyer, Reiko Horiyama, was accused. I couldn't say no. But I can't really keep up with the case well. Especially not if I'm having delusions."

"Delusions? What do you mean?" Maya suddenly inhaled and puffed out her chest. "I keep telling you that you need to sleep during these trials, you know. You know, you can sleep through the testimony the first time—no one but Edgeworth will ever know, and if you're lucky, he'll throw a file at you to make you wake up." She giggled. "Nick did that a few . . ." Her voice trailed off as she saw Phoenix's jaw twitch. She had to be careful of what she was saying; talking about his former trials probably wasn't helping him much.

"Today, I was in the case file room, investigating, when I heard a noise. I turned around, expecting to see Detective Gumshoe, but instead it was this girl. She was little and blond, but it was like she was a ghost! I could see the wall behind her _through_ her. I didn't know what was going on, so I asked her who she was, and she said she was waiting for her mom. She said that her mom worked there, but I've never even heard of her. I thought you were the Spirit Medium, not me!"

Maya looked utterly perplexed. "You're not channelling spirits, but you're seeing them? Sorry, but I don't know what's going on just as you do." She sat there for a second before turning to Phoenix. "Do you know where that photo went? The one that Lotta took a few years ago? With Mia in it?"

Pain inched across his face, but he nodded. "It's in the photo album on the bookshelf," he said, not even opening his eyes or lifting his head. As Maya scampered off to find it, a small but pained smile appeared on his lips. "You know, you didn't have to take on the work of both of us."

She grinned. "Of course I did. Someone's got to keep the office running. I even got myself a spirit companion to follow me around." She paused, looking at his depressed form. "How are you holding up?"

He shrugged one shoulder, finally sitting up straight and looking at her for the first time. His eyes looked bloodshot, his lips chapped. There was something inside of him that had died inside when his attorney's badge was revoked. "Not bad."

"Maya said you have a kid running around now too?"

He gave a low chuckle, almost like a bark. "Yeah. Trucy Enigmar, my client's daughter. When he disappeared with my badge, he left me his daughter as a consolation prize. How kind." His voice was hard, sarcastic at the end. He softened after that. "I've got to start looking for her family. Poor kid. She and I both drew the short straw on this trial." He shook his head. "I knew it was coming, too. You warned me, over and over again, to check my evidence. But then she came up with this diary page, and I took it and completely forgot about your warnings. I was stupid."

"It's not your fault. It's Kristoph's—that's the story I'm sticking with."

"Kristoph? Kristoph Gavin? Why is it his fault?" His voice was surprisingly flat.

"Because Kristoph said something to Klavier the night before about forged evidence, and he came to me about it. He warned me that he wouldn't tolerate it in the courtroom, so to check your evidence. But he didn't know what role Kristoph was playing. _I _don't know what role Kristoph was playing. So, I'm assuming he's the one who slipped you the forged evidence. Otherwise, how would have he known?"

Phoenix darted out of his chair, rage in his eyes. "That's _not _true. Not at all. As I stood in front of the Bar Examiners, do you know who the only person who voted for me to keep my badge was? That's right; Kristoph. He's the _last _person that could have done it. Don't start flinging around accusations." Without another word, he walked into the hallway and slammed a door.

"Aha! Found it!" Maya ran back, appraising the scene. "Nick?"

Kiria shook her head. "Don't talk about Kristoph Gavin."

Maya looked incredibly lost, but put down the giant album. "This is the album that Nick and I have been keeping since we started working together. See, here was our first picture together, although I had to beg Nick to agree to it. Ever since, we've been taking a picture after every trial together. But this one . . ." she paused as she flipped a few more pages. ". . . is different." She shoved a finger at a group photo. "Was the girl like this?"

In the back was a woman who looked oddly like the Mia Maya and Pearl channeled. She was strangely translucent, as if she were photoshopped in instead of having been in the original photo. It was the same thing as the girl, Madeleine, earlier. "Yes! Exactly like that!"

"Well, you saw a spirit, that's for sure. I don't know _how _though!" The young Spirit Medium shook her head. "I dunno. Maybe Mia'll know?" And with that final word, Maya became Mia.

"Oh? She's getting much better at this," was the older sister's only greeting.

"Mia? I'm seeing spirits! Or at least, Maya said so."

The woman's lower lip slipped beneath her teeth. "Really? Quite interesting."

"Quite interesting? _Please_ tell me that's not the only thing you're going to say."

Mia grinned. "I might have a bit more to say about it. Tell me more."

Kiria quickly summarized the contents of her interaction with Madeleine. "She looked just like the woman in this photo. Well, a ten-year-old, blonde version, anyways."

"Ah, I remember that photo." Mia smiled in reminiscence before answering. "Certainly sounds like a spirit. Have you seen them before?"

Kiria shook her head in negation. "Never."

The spirit pursed her lips. "I've heard rumours . . . in the spirit world. There are spirits, ones who are freshly killed, who aren't going to rest. Instead, they lurk around the scene of the crime until the killer is caught. Maybe you're sensitive to them. In any case, this sounds like your best clue so far. You have the name of an employee that you've never heard of and a dead girl."

"Neither of whom have any relation to my case."

"That you know of yet. Think outside the box. Assume, and see where that gets you. In any case, it sounds interesting. You'll have to keep me updated."

"So, you're just saying to deal with the spirit?"

"You're not going crazy, if that's what you're asking. I'd go see myself, but . . . I can tell something's not right here. I should probably stay, and you should probably get back to your case. Investigate this Evangeline Illane and her dead daughter, Madeleine. You might find something that will turn the case on its head."

Kiria chuckled. "Not that it needs it. Any ideas on where to start asking about this mystery woman?"

"Go to the Prosecutor's Office. They're supposed to share personnel files with Defense Attorneys. Supposed to, anyways. Call for Edgeworth if you need to. Or better yet, say that Diego . . . Godot sent you." A dark smile crossed her lips. "Apparently the name still gives them chills. I'll be here if you need me, or more, Maya will be here. Good luck."

Kiria rose, feeling a little more secure. "Thanks, Mia. Oh, and remind Maya not to mention Kristoph Gavin."

"Kristoph?"

"She'll tell you later. Apologize to Phoenix for me. I probably shouldn't have said what I said."

"Probably?"

"Just because it got him upset doesn't mean I'm going to be repentant about it."

* * *

The Prosecutor's Office was a short walk from the apartment, but her feet already ached like crazy. "_Stupid shoes,_" she muttered under her breath as she walked inside. There was a receptionist at the desk, paying attention to about twelve different phones. _I already know where Edgeworth's office is. I'll just take a short walk inside. Worst thing that could happen is that he's not there._

Thirteen staircases later, and she regretted the decision not to wait for the elevator. But finally, she arrived in front of the door. His nameplate was on the door. She knocked.

"Come in!"

"Oh, come on! I'll answer the door! Just a second!" A young girl's voice stopped her from turning the handle that she was already grasping. After a moment, the door opened to a cheerful teen girl who was beaming at her. "Step in, step in! Although I have to say, you're not a regular visitor. In fact, who are you?" The girl, who had moved out of the way to let Kiria in, suddenly stepped in front of the space again, hindering her entrance.

"Kay, you're not a bouncer," Edgeworth's steady voice said from inside the room. "You don't get to limit my guests from entering."

The girl looked back to stick her tongue out at the man before stepping aside. _Does everyone have a teenage sidekick nowadays? Maybe I should get one._ Kiria stepped inside, intimidated by the earlier actions. "Am I still welcome?"

Edgeworth was smirking. "Of course. Kay, meet Kiria Nomura. She's a Defense Attorney. Nomura, Kay." He opened his mouth to explain, and then closed it again.

"I'm the Yatagarasu!"

Kiria blinked. And again. "What?"

"I'm the Yatagarasu!"

"I don't know that you know what you're saying."

"I'm the Great Thief! Of Truth!"

Kiria shook her head. "Ah. We must be thinking of two different Yatagarasus. Obviously. Nice to meet you." She turned back to Edgeworth. "I was told that you could give me personnel files."

"Not on trials that I'm prosecuting. Or I wouldn't recommend it, anyways."

"Nathan's prosecuting this one. And honestly, you'd never understand how I got to this point anyways."

He nodded. "What file?"

"Evangeline Illane and a Madeleine. I'm assuming her last name is Illane as well, but she didn't specify."

He swiveled around in his chair to access the computer on the back desk. "Alright, I have an Evangeline Illane. No Madeleine Illane, though. Let's see . . . what about a Madeleine Hamarch?"

"Husband's last name?" He nodded. "Yeah, we'll go with that."

"Alright, Madeleine Hamarch. Anything else I can get you?"

"Is the husband's file on there? It might be useful."

He nodded, clicked a few buttons, and the printer on the other side of the desk started whirring. "Can I ask why?"

"I could tell you," she started, her mouth smiling, "but you wouldn't believe me."

"Oh, try me. After Wright's Psycho-locks, I can deal with anything."

She glanced over at Kay. He seemed to notice. "Kay, would you mind finding Detective Gumshoe for me? He should be in Prosecutor Price's office."

"Okay! Gummy's more fun anyways." With a teasing grin, the girl exited the room.

"As you were saying?"

Kiria shook her head. "Is that Madeleine Hamarch deceased?"

He checked the file. "No, not that's been recorded, anyways. It says that Evangeline Illane is, though."

"Really? How long ago?"

"Five years. Why?"

She sat in the chair across from his desk. "Hm. That just shot a hole in my theory. I saw the ghost of Madeleine Hamarch. Both Mia and Maya Fey agree that it's a spirit."

"A spirit? Where?"

She had to smile at his resilience. She'd half expected to be ridiculed. "In the case file room at the International Attorney Headquarters. She said she had to wait there until her mom got back."

"But that doesn't make sense. Evangeline Illane died five years ago in a car accident, nowhere _near_ the building." He looked away, his eyes showing calculation. "Unless she's been there for five years."

Kiria shook her head. "Impossible. She said she'd only been there for a day."

"The night of the murder?"

"Exactly. What blood type is Madeleine?"

He glanced at the file. "O positive." Understanding dawned. "The same as the victim in the case."

"So then, who is our victim? And what happened to Evangeline Illane five years ago?"

* * *

**A/N: Two updates together; I was caught up by the Type 2 errors, so both of these are done. Keep checking in for Part 2! I'm going to try to do it soon, but these chapters are long and I'm tired.**

**Read and Review? c:**


	9. Turnabout Stretch of the Legs

**Chapter Eight :: Turnabout Stretch of the Legs**

**Present-Day:**

I was finally starting to get used to the whole MASON system thing. It was like watching a movie. A very, very, very long movie. Even so, it was intriguing. I'd seen some of this—the disbarring and such—but I hadn't watched the reactions. The name Kiria Nomura was starting to come back to me, like I'd heard something about her, but it was still a mystery. As the last clip ended, I prepared to select the next one in the series, but everything suddenly went black.

"I thought you might want to stretch your legs."

Of course. I get to stretch my legs when I want nothing more to do than to watch this trial in its entirety. How kind.

Even so, it was a break, and I'd take it. "How long have I been sitting?" I asked, standing on my tiptoes and reaching to the sky.

"Oh, a few hours. Maybe three or four." Mr. Wright seemed apathetic. Maybe he was disappointed that I hadn't seen anything yet. "Everything okay?"

"Yep. She's doing all the work for me, so I can't complain."

Mr. Wright gave one of those smiles that he gives whenever he meets a sarcastic comment. It's like a grimace and a smirk at the same time. When I told Trucy that, she just perked up and asked "So, is that a grim-irk?" I told her no, but now she says it as if it's a technical term whenever Mr. Wright does it.

"Well, you've got more reading to do before you start back again." He threw me another manila envelope. "You know what to do when you're finished."

With a sigh, I opened it up.

* * *

_Name:_ Nathaniel Price

_Age:_ Twenty-Five

_Gender:_ Male

_Occupation:_ Public Prosecutor

_Employed By:_ Prosecutor's Office. Under the jurisdiction of Miles Edgeworth

_Relatives:_ Jonathan Price, father;  
Mila Price, mother;  
Michelle Price, sister

_Education:_ Earned High School credit at his public high school in New Mexico. Took a year off school before going to the University of Southern California for Dance. Graduated with a Bachelors of Arts degree. Moved on to California, Berkeley, School of Law after his undergraduate studies. Graduated with full honors at Berkeley.

_Record:_ Price was a witness in a scandal concerning the University of Southern California.

_Authorization:_ United States Citizen

* * *

I was connecting the dots, but I didn't have the time to spare. If I wanted to get done before the next ten years were up, I needed to start watching again. "Well, Justice, here we go again." Spurred on by the need to finish this task, I sat back down and selected the next scene.

* * *

**A/N: Edited 9/7/11. Finishes the framing chapters so far.**


	10. Turnabout International:Investigation 2b

**Chapter Nine :: Turnabout International :: Investigation :: Day 1 :: Part 2**

Kiria left the Prosecutor's Office a few minutes later with a few names and absolutely no leads. Evangeline Illane had been dead for five years, and yet her daughter, Madeleine Hamarch, was a spirit lingering around in the current world. She had a crime scene that made no sense, three case files that she didn't know how to tie into her current case (not that she really had one other than maintaining Reiko's innocence), and a dead body that no one could seem to identify. What in the world was going on?

She kicked up her heels as she walked toward the International Attorney office again. She wanted to walk with as much confidence as to shake the ground where she stood, to intimidate any that might stand in the way of justice. Unfortunately, her four-inch torture devices did nothing more than clack gently against the ground. She felt oddly inconsequential, a lone warrior for truth among a crowd who knew nothing, who'd seen nothing, who wanted to see her fail.

But now was no time to falter. She had two clients, two people that needed her help. She could despair later. She might join Phoenix, curl up on his couch, and start grieving for everything that had happened in the last two days. But now was action time.

She started off by going back into the Case File Room. Right now, Madeleine was her best lead, and there was no better place she could think of to start. She peered around for the girl, but found the room empty. "Madeleine? Are you here?"

The petite girl appeared in the doorway. "You're back!" She sounded surprised, as if she had expected the lawyer to desert the room forever. "I thought you were going to get help? You were going to get my mom, remember?"

Kiria nodded. "I'm trying to find her. I need more information, though. Do you mind talking to me a little?"

The girl shook her head. "What do you want to know?"

Kiria waved for the girl to sit as she slipped her shoes off and seated herself as well. "I got your file from the Prosecutor's Office. You're Madeleine Hamarch, right?"

She nodded. "Uh huh. My dad's name is Christopher Hamarch. He's a detective."

_So the dad's a detective and the mom works here? Isn't the Precinct a better place for a child than a Case File room?_ "Can you tell me a little bit about your mom? Her name is Evangeline, right?" She opened up the case file in her bag. "It says here that she's a prosecutor."

She nodded. "She's been working here for a few years now. It's been the Prosecutor's Office for years."

She scanned the file. Things weren't making sense. This wasn't the Prosecutor's Office, but the International Attorney's Office. Evangeline was dead. She opened the other file, Madeleine's file. The date of birth caught her eye. How could . . . she look like she was ten, and yet in reality be eighteen? "Madeleine, how old are you?"

The girl looked baffled by the question. "I'm eleven. Why?"

She pushed the file toward the ghost. "Is this your birthday?" she asked, pointing at the date.

"Yeah. So?"

_She doesn't realize that she's any different age. She doesn't realize that seven years have passed. How long has she been in here anyways? Has it only been a day, or could it be more? What is going on here?_ A strange silence fell over the two as Kiria wondered how she could break the news to the child. Should she break the news to Madeleine? It was time for foreign intervention. "I'll be right back. I need to make a call."

She was on the phone with Maya as soon as she walked out the door. "Spirits. Dead spirits. What can you tell me about them?"

"What?"

She sighed. "I'm trying to talk to that spirit that I told you about earlier, but something's strange. Her file says that she's eighteen, but she says she's eleven. She says she's only been here for a day, but could it be longer? I'm so confused with this."

"Well . . . you know, spirits don't always appear the same way that they died. They revert to the time that they were happiest."

"Wait, so she doesn't remember anything that happened after she turned eleven?"

"No; she remembers, if she experienced it. It's going to take some time to get through to her though; she's going to pretend like she's eleven again. She thinks this is a new start; you've got to break her into remembering the present. You know how Nick used to break down his clients? You've got to hit where it hurts. Just . . . make sure you've got the evidence for it?"

"Thanks, Maya." She hung up the phone, walking back into the Case File room. "Sorry about that." She sat back down in front of the ethereal being, sweeping her legs underneath her. "Can we talk about your age for a second?"

She knew she'd hit a nerve as soon as Madeleine's eyes snapped open and then narrowed in defense. "I'm eleven."

"Unfortunately, I have your file here. That's impossible. You saw the year on your date of birth. If you subtract the year you were born with the current year . . . it would make you eighteen."

Madeleine's jaw chomped down angrily. "Ridiculous." Her form faltered suddenly, her face growing thinner, her arms and legs becoming longer, and her body morphing into a more curvaceous form. It seemed to reflect her eighteen years more honestly, less of an outlier. She looked maybe thirteen at this point, and Kiria knew that she was getting somewhere. She was hitting the right points, finally. Madeleine seemed to realize that she couldn't fight the point. "So what if I'm eighteen? What does that have to do with anything?"

Kiria slipped Evangeline's file from her bag. "The problem comes with your mother. What did you say about her? A Prosecutor, right?"

"Right. She works here. Aren't you supposed to be finding her right now?" The girl's new age seemed to reflect the teenage rebellious nature. "I think you're starting to waste your time."

"I'd love to find her. Unfortunately, she's dead. She died five years ago in a car accident, right?"

"N-No! You're wrong! She's alive!" Again, her shape changed, now looking exactly like the eighteen-year-old that she was. "She's alive!" As hard as Kiria stared into her eyes, she couldn't detect any deception. Either Madeleine was an excellent liar (which was unlikely, seeing as how she had reacted to her earlier secrets) or she was telling the truth. She glanced at her bag. Did she have any evidence that proved otherwise?

Or perhaps she could justify her still living. She was too far in to back out now. What did she have to justify that Evangeline Illane was still alive? She skimmed the file, staying quiet. Madeleine could easily jump onto her case and demolish it here with one fell swoop. Finally, she found the piece that could save her case.

"Evangeline's body . . . was unidentifiable. The car accident destroyed it beyond recognition. Are you telling me that . . . she isn't dead?"

A single tear ran down Madeleine's cheek. "She was alive, alright. While I lived at my father's house, she was starting to make a new life. We didn't even know. She didn't tell us, not until just a few months ago. She called my cell phone, told me that she'd just figured out her new life. I was meeting her here; she said that she was going to tell me the whole truth. Everything. What she'd been doing, what she was planning on doing . . ." Her voice trailed off.

"Wait. She hid after the accident. Why?" Kiria leaned forward, suddenly interested. "Was she in some sort of trouble?"

The Spirit shrugged. "I don't know. I was only thirteen at the time. I'd just gotten my first boyfriend; I was too absorbed in myself, not in what she was doing at work. Dad might know though."

"Christopher Hamarch, right?"

"Yeah. Sometimes Mom wouldn't get the Defendant put away, or one of the witnesses was angry with the way she was conducting herself. It's probably one of them, to tell the truth. And then when she died, Dad and I thought she was dead. Legitimately. I remember, he kept saying something a case number. I don't remember what it was though. It was like he was accusing whoever was in the case of murdering her."

"So, why did she call you so much later? Five years later, right?"

Madeleine nodded emphatically. "Right. She just called out of the blue. We haven't moved or changed our phone number since she died."

"But why contact you now?"

"I thought that . . . she felt guilty about lying to us, but that it was integral to her goal. I don't know a lot. I just know that she was trying to reach out to me again."

"And your father?"

"She told me not to tell him. She said that he'd be so angry after so many years that she would just call like nothing had happened. I mean, I was angry too, but she was my _mom_. I love her. I didn't tell him. When we were supposed to meet up here, I told him that I had a club after school and came here."

"What happened when you got here?"

"She looked so . . . different. I thought that she'd gotten the wrong person. But then she started talking about how we used to laugh when I was younger and about the lake trip . . . it had to have been her. She promised me that she'd explain everything, but she had to get a file in order to explain it fully. I followed her in here and . . . I don't remember. When I woke up, people were coming in and out, but no one could see me. I didn't understand it. It was like I wasn't even here. And then you came by today, and . . . I don't know. I'm just so confused. What's happened to me?"

So, Madeleine didn't realize she was dead. Kiria glanced around the room. There was very little that could have acted as the murder weapon around here. Was the crime even committed in here? One thing was certain; if Reiko wasn't the killer, there was a third person in the room at the time. Madeleine's body had also been found in the office; Reiko couldn't have carried her in there with the cane; she would have been covered in blood. There was a strange lack of blood surrounding the case. Add that to the number of unidentified bodies, and the case was confusing. Was this even related? She couldn't prove it in a court of law. It was all considered conjecture (although she doubted that talking to spirits was considered even conjecture; probably closer to insanity). She was no farther in the case.

"Madeleine . . . I don't think she's coming back. You're a . . . well, you're a spirit. You're dead. I'm the defense attorney for the defendant, and . . . you're the victim." Not to mention that no one really knew that yet other than her. "I'm sorry."

* * *

Madeleine had been devastated by the news. She'd trembled furiously, opening and closing her fists like she was holding a stress ball inside them. Tears had coursed down her cheeks in waves, and she turned different colors: blue, green, and finally red with anger. Her transient shape was fluxuating with her grief and anger. She'd only been eighteen when she'd died. She wouldn't experience so much of her life; she'd never go to college, fall in love, get married, have children. She'd experienced so little of life.

It made Kiria think about her own situation. She was only three years older than the deceased girl. How much had she experienced? She'd been to college, but had never fallen in love. She didn't want children, or not yet anyways. Her own life suddenly seemed temporary.

She left Madeleine to her grieving alone. She had work to do. After all, it was her responsibility to solve the case, get Reiko declared Not Guilty, and find out what had happened to who they'd all assumed the victim was. Where was Ava Kutsch? _She should have turned up by now. Where is she?_

She was in the small hallway between the office and the Case File room when her phone dinged. '_Your mystery language isn't German, but one of the analysts in the lab thinks it's Russian. I'll do some more research for you and find out what it says. Dinner Friday? ~Klavier'_

Russian? Why was Ava Kutsch dealing with a Russian case? There was a Russian prosecutor in the office already, Vladimir Doshkiya. She'd check with Vladimir, but she wasn't aware that Ava had spoken Russian. She shot off a text to the Russian before continuing into the office.

Detective Gumshoe was peering in one of the corners of the office, obviously bored. "Assigned to watch the scene?" she asked.

He jumped halfway out of his skin. "Oh! Hey, pal! Geez, don't scare me like that!" He inhaled and exhaled heavily before calming down. "Yeah, Chief said he thought there might have been something we missed." He sighed. "I don't know what to think about this case. I'd say that the Prosecution shouldn't have any problems winning, but there's just a lack of evidence."

_Really? I'm thinking that there's too much evidence._ She'd seen a lot that she couldn't prove. A ghost, a victim that was supposed to be Ava Kutsch but was actually Madeleine Hamarch, and Reiko Horiyama, who someone fit into all of this.

_I suppose I could keep persuing this line of questioning with Evangeline Illane, but I'm starting to question whether it'll get me anywhere. I'll keep going with this as far enough to get an autopsy report for her, but if that doesn't yield anything, I've got to abandon it. I've lost a lot of light with the whole running around with ghosts. It's time to crack down._ "Detective, do you know where I can get a medical report of a deceased person? I need it for my other case."

"Well, if the precinct doesn't have it, the hospital will. Do you know if it had a case?"

She shook her head. "I wouldn't think so. It was a car accident."

Gumshoe nodded. "Yep, that would be a file in the local hospital. Just tell 'em that Dick Gumshoe sent you, and they'll give you the report. Of course, your badge won't hurt either." He chuckled. "Sure you don't want to keep me company, pal? It gets kinda lonely around here without anyone to talk to."

"No, I think I'll pass." She smiled grimly. "Too much work. If I pass by Nath—Mr. Price or Mr. Edgeworth, I'll send them your way. Don't get too bored, Detective."

* * *

She arrived at the local hospital at a few minutes to four. She vowed to get her license soon; all of this walking around on large heels was excruciating.

The aide at the counter looked bored. "How can I help you?" she asked as Kiria approached.

"I need an autopsy report. I'm a Defense Attorney." She flashed her badge.

"Name?"

"Evangeline Illane. I have her file right here, if you need any more information." She passed the file over the counter.

"Alright, just a second." The woman typed a few letters into her computer, waiting for a moment before the report printed. "Here's the file. In order to take it out of the hospital, you'll have to get the Head Nurse to sign off on it. She should be . . ." she checked her chart, ". . . in Room 203 right now. Cardiac patient."

Kiria thanked the woman and proceeded to the indicated room. She got the signature without much problem, and began to go back the way she came. The problem came after.

As she was walking down the hall to the elevator (no stairs this time), her sight strayed to the people in the sick beds. Her eyes widened as she recognized one of the patients.

Her phone was immediately at her ear. "Mr. Edgeworth? Kiria Nomura. Can you connect me to Nathan? I think . . . I might have found something he would want to know."

"Something he would want to know? Wouldn't you want to keep this to yourself then?" he mused.

"Certainly not. This is something he needs to know."

She could hear him deliberate. "Alright. Good luck."

The sound of elevator music filled the silence until she could finally hear the soft _click_ of a new receiver. "Hello?"

"Nathan? You might want to meet me at the local hospital. I think I found something."

He sighed, but it was filled with goodnatured humour. "Is this a new tactic for the Defense? To encourage the Prosecution to run all over the city until they get tired and just give up?"

"No! This is the first time I've asked you to go anywhere, you lazy bum. Just hurry up and get here." She rolled her eyes at his attitude. "Seriously. Otherwise, your case will be irrelevant tomorrow."

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Jeez, this had better be good. I'm a block away now. Where are you?"

"Second floor, right in front of Room 221. Hurry up!" she urged, afraid that a nurse might sweep in and take her breaking evidence away.

"I'm inside. Geez, it's a good thing I used to be a dancer, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to keep up with your demands. Talk about a slavedriver."

She didn't reply, but hung up. _Take that for an answer. Slavedriver? As if._ She lounged around in front of the door until he finally ran up.

"What's the big problem?"

She pointed inside of Room 221. "Look in there, and then look at the supposed victim in this case. I promise, Ava Kutsch didn't have a twin either."

He peered inside before gasping in a breath. "What? But that's . . .! What is she . . . who is . . . what's going on?"

"Does it matter? What do we do? We can't just barge in there, but we can't let her go either! She's _essential_ for proving that the victim isn't her!" She leaned back against the wall. "I don't know what to do. This case perplexes me. I don't know what is up and what is down. We have a victim who isn't a victim, an unidentified body with no real autopsy report, and either not enough evidence or too much evidence. I haven't decided yet."

Nathan had his phone out and was hitting buttons. "Well, firstly, she needs to be taken into custody, because there's something wrong here. She's completely fine."

"She didn't fake her death, Nate. I don't have any proof of it, anyways. Besides, how do we know she isn't really sick and doesn't know anything about her supposed death? We can't just call in."

He began to walk down the hallway, flagging down a nurse. "Excuse me, I'm the nephew of the patient in room 221, but no one's told me anything. Is she going to be okay? What does she have? I'm thinking of getting something in the gift shop; is there anything I should avoid?" He was talking so fast that the poor nurse seemed overwhelmed by his questions.

"Let me see . . . Nina Pollock? She's in for cosmetic surgery; nothing too bad. I'd avoid any sort of perfumed substance; her face will be a little raw after her surgery."

"Facial reconstruction? But . . . why?"

The nurse peered down the chart. "It doesn't say why; says it's classified. There's a signature here, if you want to try to find more information."

She handed the chart to Nathan, and he raked it over before handing it back. "Thank you. I'm so worried about my Aunt Nina, and if she's in trouble . . ." His voice trailed off as he returned to Kiria's side, his mouth whispering in her ear. "She's having facial reconstruction, but she's already got a new identity. Good enough for you?"

"Take her in. What about the signature?"

He shook his head. "It was kind of hard to read, but I could make out the first letters. A "C" and an "H". Mean anything to you?"

"Not yet. Call it in, and we'll talk later. I don't know that we can solve this case on our own."

"Meet you at the Prosecutor's Office in ten."

"Loud and clear. I'll be waiting."

* * *

Kiria seated herself in the new Prosecutor's office, glancing around at the boxes still unpacked. Apparently Nathan had moved only recently, or was too lazy to set up. Edgeworth and Nathan stormed in a moment later.

"What is going on in this case?" Nathan demanded. "Victim? Who knows! M.O.? That's too much to ask for, huh?" He collapsed in the chair behind the desk, his head buried in his hands. "I hate this case."

"It's not an easy case. Whoever planned this covered their tracks perfectly. This has obviously been planned for a while."

Edgeworth spoke with calm reason. "Let's work from the beginning and recap. Someone has been murdered in the International Attorney building. The body is destroyed beyond recognition, but we know that the blood type is A positive, same as Ava Kutsch. We also know that it is not Ava Kutsch, and that she was trying to change her appearance and identity completely. Why?"

"We also know, unofficially, of course," she said, clearing her throat, "that the victim is Madeleine Hamarch. Her mother was supposedly killed in a car accident, but she somehow ended up alive. She then proceeded to live her life as another person in the International Attorney—oh my god."

"What?"

What if Ava Kutsch had been Evangeline Illane? The repetition of disguising herself; the hiding; facial reconstruction . . . could it be?

"I can't prove anything yet. But I have some theories that I'm not supposed to be discussing with the Prosecution. This case is difficult." She sighed. "There's just something wrong about this. There's no proof. It's all based in hypotheticals."

"Isn't everything based in hypotheticals right now? There's no proof for anything. But this is a problem that we can't share information. This case can't be solved without collaboration." A slow smile creeped across Nathan's face. "And we've got just the judge to solve that."

"What do you mean?" Kiria asked.

Edgeworth looked at his protége and responded to the young Prosecutor's unasked question with a nod. Nathan explained. "Under certain circumstances, the Prosecution can request for the Defense to work together in order to obtain a higher degree of justice. The judge has to agree that the case is beyond the ability of the Prosecution and the Defense to independently investigate. I think this might qualify." He picked up the phone, deciding her silence was implicit consent. "Excuse me for a moment while I appeal to our judge . . ."

He chatted on the phone for a bit, gossiping like old friends with the judge before a thrilled "Awesome. I'll get Ms. Nomura's signature and scan that over. Thank you!" came out of his mouth and he put the phone down. "Wanna give me your signature? I've got the form here." He slid it across the desk with a pen.

She sighed before picking up the writing utensil and signing her life away.

* * *

**A/N: I'm so sorry that this chapter is late! It was about 90% done, but unfortunately, for those of you who aren't High School students and/or don't have IB in your school, this is crunch time. I've got two weeks straight of testing starting next Tuesday. Lucky me? So, the next chapter will be probably in two to three weeks, depending on everything I've got to do before Graduation.**

**Read and review? c:**


	11. Turnabout International:Investigation 2c

**Chapter Ten :: Turnabout International :: Investigation :: Day 2 :: Part 3**

Kiria's fear might have abated with the support of the Prosecution were this a normal case, but this was no normal case. This was a case that seemed to have no answers to the questions it posed. She couldn't see how to prove anything she supposed was true. First, that the corpse could be the corpse of Madeleine Hamarch, who seemed totally unrelated to the case at hand. Secondly was the innocence of Reiko Horiyama, the Japanese lawyer that she was representing. Other than the cane at what was supposed to be the crime scene, there was nothing physically tying Reiko to the case. Her job seemed easy. However, she had a different task; find out what happened to Madeleine Hamarch. The eighteen-year-old deserved that.

"Have you been to the scene?" she asked him. She'd assumed that he would have, but she'd been there for most of the day and hadn't seen him around.

His mouth twisted in a sheepish smirk. "Not yet. I haven't made it out of here yet. Everyone keeps coming in with information that they think I need about court, and I can't get out of here without someone intercepting me at the door. I swear, Winston Payne gives the crappiest advice I've ever heard."

"He's a pig. Anyways, I'll make you a deal. I've got another case that I'm working on right now against Edgeworth, and I've spent a lot of time at the scene already. You go to our crime scene and take a fresh look. I'm going to my other crime scene to try to figure that one out. Call me when you're done and we'll see where I'm at."

He nodded. "I don't have much of a choice. You want a ride over?"

"That'd be great. My feet are killing me."

"Then why wear heels?" he asked, rising from his seat. She walked with him out the door.

There was a wry grin on her face as she said, "Because they make my ass look good."

* * *

He dropped her off at the Detention Center at her insistence. There was something that she had to ask of her client, Edward Ross, before she returned to the scene. He was facing the charges of first-degree murder and grand theft auto, two charges that would either sentence him to the death penalty or life in jail at best. Of course, there was something that he wasn't telling her that had to do with the trial earlier.

His wife had been the victim, although there was something strange with that. He hadn't acted logically this morning, especially when he'd heard of his wife's affair. In fact, his face hadn't changed, now that she'd thought about it. It was almost as if he hadn't been surprised at all. Like he'd known of it before. Which, of course, presented different challenges than what she had originally anticipated. In fact, he was more likely to be the murderer now. She played around with certain statistics in her head, wondering which one Edgeworth would throw out there. How about that 80% of all murders were committed by spouses or significant others? Or that crimes of revenge were 52% more likely if it were a man that was being cheated on rather than a woman? She could feel her case going down the drain with every new thought. If anything, relieving the grand theft auto charge had increased the likelihood of Edward Ross committing murder. She cursed under her breath.

The defendant seated himself in the chair mere moments after she had situated herself, checking her makeup for mascara runs or foundation smearing. She snapped the compact mirror shut before turning to her client. "Mr. Ross. I'm sorry for rushing off so quickly after the trial today. How did you feel after the trial?"

He looked like he was repressing a smile. "I'm confident you'll get me off the hook tomorrow, Ms. Nomura. You were brilliant in court today. That witness, Ralph Shiller, was it? He was nothing compared to you."

She was instantly wary. He was too enthusiastic, especially after finding out that his wife had been cheating on him with the witness. "Thank you, but I'm just doing my job. I'm glad you have full confidence in me. Actually, I was coming to you to talk to you a bit about the trial. Do you mind?"

"Absolutely not. Please, ask me whatever."

"It bothers me . . . that your wife was having an affair. You don't seem surprised about it at all. Did you know?"

His expression didn't falter. He either had an excellent poker face or he merely didn't care. "I did. Violet was . . . not a faithful woman. We were trying to fix our marriage. She apparently assumed it was unfixable." There was no emotion in his voice. It was like a block of lead floating to the bottom of the ocean: consistent and slow.

"Had you given up on it as well?"

"Me? Never." He shook his head. "I don't believe in divorce. Violet, however, did. She kept pushing for a divorce. Said she didn't love me. Irreconcilable differences. I refused to sign the paperwork. But we were a dying marriage. She went back to her maiden name. I went back to my parents' house some nights rather than sleeping on the couch. I'm just . . ." he sighed, shaking his head, ". . . tired of trying to make it work."

"You don't have to make it work anymore, Mr. Ross. Your wife is dead. I need to know, once and for all. Did you kill Violet Harmond?" She was starting to question his innocence more than anything. She had to know; was he a murderer?

"No." But for once, his expression faltered. His lips clamped down, his eyes averting from hers.

Crap. He was guilty, wasn't he? Where was her duty as an attorney? Was it to defend her client, no matter his status? Or was it to defend the truth from those who might be attempting to hide it? She sighed. That would be something to figure out when she wasn't sitting in front of the man whose fate was hanging in her hands.

"Tell me about your wife. After all, you two seem an unlikely couple. She is a former model, is she not? And you are an insurance salesman? On top of that, you don't agree on marital status and such? Your beliefs are so different. How did you meet?"

His eyes seemed far off, distant in a land she'd never see because it was in the past. "Violet and I went to high school together. We were valedictorian and salutorian," -he didn't pause to explain, even after her face showed complete confusion- "of our high school class We studied together. We did everything together. It just seemed natural that I would propose to her after graduation. But she turned me down. She refused to wed me when we were eighteen, saying that we were too young. We were too young. Hell, we were too young when we _did_ get married. So, I followed her to college. She majored in photography, while I was an accounting major. We dated through college, and I proposed to her again afterwards. But she still refused me. Not until almost ten years later did she agree to marry me. But neither of us were in it by this point. I didn't love her; I married her to prove that I could win her. And she was tired of me nagging her for marriage. Our marriage was dead before it started. So it didn't surprise me when three months later, I caught her with another man. It's been ten years of another man, over and over again." He looked up at her. "Ms. Nomura, I hope to God you never have to feel what that feels like. It just eats you inside and out until you're nothing less than a shell. But I couldn't get that divorce. I'd already compromised enough of my values just to be with her. I wasn't about to compromise more to lose her."

It was a classic sob story and Kiria wasn't buying it. His face wasn't changing during the story. It was a badly choreographed excuse, and she had the feeling that he was telling her what she wanted to hear so that she wouldn't drop him as a client.

"Thank you for your time. I'll see you in court in the morning."

What was she going to do? Protect the truth or protect her client? What was the outcome when the two were on opposing sides? Did they work in harmony, or would they clash in a deadly battle to the end?

* * *

She took the train to the street where Ralph Shiller's auto repair shop sat, feeling less than optimistic. Edward Ross was guilty. She wasn't sure what was the point of continuing to talk to this man. In any case, perhaps he had one more piece of evidence for her. One more hint that might save her opinion of Edward Ross and bring to light the truth about what had happened to Violet Harmond.

Ralph Shiller was seated at the desk in the front of his store, scribbling something down on a piece of paper. He didn't even look up when he heard the bell signal a customer had entered. "We're closed."

"Great customer service, as I expected. Sorry, Mr. Shiller, but I'm not here for car repair. I'm here to find out who killed Violet Harmond."

That got him to look up. "You." He didn't look happy to see her, either. "I'm not talking."

"That's really too bad. After all, I'd have assumed that you would want this case solved. It can't be good for business." She invaded his space, leaned up against the countertop he was writing on. She needed to show him who was boss around here, and with any dealings of the law, she had to be the top dog. "Add that to your affair, and it seems like a puzzle you might want to solve. Or did you not care about Violet Harmond? How cruel."

"How dare you. I cared about her more than her goddamned husband did. When she was angry, who did she talk to? When her husband wasn't home, who did she come crawl in bed next to? Who promised that they'd keep her safer than that buzzard ever did? Yeah, that was me. So, don't come in here with that high-and-mighty attitude of yours, just because you're not loving a married woman. I was there for her more than he ever was. It should have been me next to her, not him."

Wow. He certainly cared more than Edward Ross ever would. It was that sort of display of emotion she'd expected from the widowed spouse, not the poker face he'd put on. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I just want the justice that Violet Harmond deserves."

"She deserves nothing but the best. That woman was amazing. And yet, here you are, defending that deadbeat husband of hers. Yeah, I'm sure you want the best for her."

"I want the truth. That's the best for her, not the pseudo-justice your blind support of the prosecution you're advocating for. When did you last see her?"

"Before her death? Man, oh man. It was just the day before she died. She came in all upset-like, you know, because her husband wouldn't sign the divorce papers. Said she just needed some time to cool down. I took her into my room and she started screaming bloody hell. She started throwing things and the like . . . you wouldn't believe it. She was the sweetest person before this, but she just turned into a witch. She tried to hit me, and shout at me, calling me 'Edward' and all that. I locked her in the room and got out of there. I came back about an hour later when she wasn't screaming like a banshee. I didn't know a lot about her marriage, but if it was that bad, I'd have helped her in any way possible."

Kiria shook her head. There was something wrong with that marriage, but she wasn't interested in that. She needed to know what had really happened.

"And what happened the next day, when Mr. Ross came in here? You said that he was shouting too?"

Ralph nodded. "Yeah. It reminded me of Violet's breakdown the day before. He was shouting at me about how I was breaking up their marriage."

"Were you breaking up their marriage?"

"Obviously. I mean, if I was sleeping with his wife, I had to have been breaking up the marriage. But other than that, I wasn't doing anything that Violet hadn't started. She'd started talking about alternatives to divorce, and if there was any sort of legal action she could take. I told her I had a brother that was a lawyer, but nothing else. Too bad you didn't come along earlier, or you could've helped her out."

She fidgeted. "I'm a criminal defense lawyer, Mr. Shiller, not a Divorce attorney." _You have to be a special kind of person to be interested in divorce; too emotional for my tastes._ "Did the victim ever contact your brother? After you mentioned him?"

"Yeah, I think they talked once. I've got his address." He took a piece of paper out from the pull-out drawer to his left and scribbled a few lines on it. "Here. You can go see him. Maybe he can give you a better clue of what Violet was dealing with."

She took the piece of paper, pocketing it quickly. "Thank you, Mr. Shiller. I think that's all I need. Thank you for your cooperation." She turned to leave, but his voice stopped her.

"I'm not helping you to help you." She turned back around. "I'm helping you because I want to know what happened to Violet. You have one more day in that courtroom, and if you don't think I'll be in there, making sure you keep going on the path of justice, you're wrong. Whoever did this, be it Violet's husband or no, deserves the worst death imaginable."

She nodded, a small smile smoothing out onto her features. "I'll find the truth. After all, it sounds like Violet Harmond was a remarkable woman. She deserves more." She turned back around and exited the shop. "Every dead person deserves the truth."

* * *

There wasn't much more she could do. She'd investigated the scene of the murder—an alleyway just three streets west of Ralph Shiller's shop—the first day, and she had too much to do with both cases to compromise her time. She'd have to go with Ralph Shiller's tip to talk with his lawyer brother and hope that it turned out productive.

The law firm that Patrick Shiller worked at wasn't too far from Wright and Co. Law Offices; it was only a few buildings away, three from the famous Gatewater Hotel. She'd walked by the office several times, but never been in; after all, she'd only applied to one place before receiving the job at Wright and Co.. The building seemed much larger, now that she stood in front of it and looked up in wonder.

She wouldn't get anything done staring at it.

The receptionist at the front desk directed her to the fourth floor, and she climbed the stairs without protest, sighing deeply. If this proved to be a red herring, she might just have a problem.

The door was open, but she was sure to knock on it before entering. The man at the desk looked up. Unlike his brother, he was tall and thin, dark curls wrapped atop his pale head. Kiria might have even called him attractive had she not known Ralph. He looked up at her knock, a small smile gracing his face. "Ah, excuse me. Can I help you?"

"Are you Patrick Shiller?"

He stood, smoothing the front of his suit jacket. "Indeed. Are you in need of my services?"

She flashed her attorney's badge. "I'm in need of information. I'm investigating the murder of Violet Harmond, and was told she had come in here a while ago. Can you help me?"

"Client confidentiality. I'm afraid not."

"She's dead, Mr. Shiller. No need for confidentiality anymore, especially if it will help solve her murder."

"I'm afraid I still can't do that. Have a seat, Ms.—?"

"Nomura. Kiria Nomura. I'm a Criminal Defense attorney."

"Patrick Shiller. I'm an Inheritance attorney."

She did a doubletake. "Inheritance? I would have guessed you to be a Divorce attorney from what your brother has said about Violet Harmond."

"No, although I ended up being able to help her anyways. She came in looking for a divorce and came out with perfect finances." He grinned cheekily. "I don't know I can say much more than that. I'm still bound to my client, dead or not."

She pushed on anyways. "Why did she need financial aid? California is a Community-Property state; you shouldn't have been able to assist her without her husband present."

"It wasn't something she had currently; she was about to inherit some major earnings, but she didn't want her husband to have them. It seemed after that she didn't need a divorce lawyer after all." He shrugged. "I'm always glad when I can help someone out."

He obviously hadn't noticed he'd slipped up. "I like the feeling as well. It's the good part about being an attorney; the counterpart to being hated by the masses, I suppose." Internally, she was mashing through the information. "I'm sorry to bother you. I suppose I shouldn't keep you from your work."

"No, no. Not a problem. Tell me, where do you work?"

"Wright and Co. Law Offices."

He leaned back in his chair. "Ah, so you're just a few buildings away! You're a criminal defense, correct?"

She glanced towards the clock. Patrick Shiller seemed determined to make small talk, and time was not on her side. Luckily, her phone seemed to agree with her. It rang out clearly before she could attempt a graceful response. "If you'll just excuse me. I'm still on the clock." She exited the room, beginning to run down the stairs before she answered. "Nomura speaking."

"Hey. You might want to swing by the crime scene. I think I found something that isn't necessarily good or bad for your case. Of course, it's about to get a lot more interesting."

"Talk to me."

She could hear the smile in Nathan's voice. There was a sense of pride when a new lawyer encountered his first breakthrough, and she wasn't about to rob him of that triumphant feeling. "You know how we haven't found any blood in the supposed crime scene? You said something about the case file room, so I went to look for clues in there. Guess what luminol testing fluid showed?"

"Blood in the case file room? Nice to know. But how did it get from the case file room to the main hallway? And how was it cleaned up so thoroughly before any witnesses showed up?"

"I don't know the answer to that yet. Are you done with your other case?"

"I'll finish up later. I don't have an ace in the hole, but perhaps I won't need one until tomorrow. I'll be there in ten."

"See you then."

* * *

When Kiria arrived at the International Attorney Headquarters, she found Nathan crouched over a glowing patch of blue in the case file room. "Any more that you've found?"

Detective Gumshoe, who she hadn't noticed until now, piped up. "We've been waiting for you to get here, pal. You know, show some camaraderie?"

Nathan nodded, handing her a spray bottle. "Let's start spraying."

The trio was bent over their work for a few minutes before Madeleine showed up, her eighteen-year-old face grim. "What are you looking for?"

"Blood," Kiria answered absentmindedly.

"Huh? What are you saying?" Gumshoe asked.

She looked up. "N-nothing. Never mind." She'd have to be careful about when she talked to her ghostly ally.

"Aha! Found something!"

Kiria and Gumshoe both straightened, walking over to Nathan's patch of Luminol. "Huh . . . isn't that the outline of a body?"

"Exactly. And that's not even the most important part. Look at the pool of blood in the outline."

"Oh! It's to the right of the head . . . that's how she was killed!" The answer finally dawned on her. "That would have been the fatal blow."

"Or at least a major one. For now, we'll assume it was the killing blow. There's not a lot of blood here for a head wound, though."

She shifted, looking down at the silhouette in speculation. "Can we take this information to the M.E.'s office and see what injuries were dealt to that area? You know, determine whether it could have been the fatal shot?"

"I would guess so. Guess we know where to go next."

"I still don't quite get what happened. So, someone who isn't Ava Kutsch," she wasn't willing to tell Gumshoe or Nathan that she was seeing ghosts yet, "was killed in this room. The body was found in Ava's office, which had no blood in it. However, there was enough blood to create an outline of the body in this room. Meanwhile, we have bloody handprints in the main hallway that would be difficult to place."

"Well, let's walk through this. So the victim was killed in here. She had to have been dragged into the office, judging by the marks on the floor here. She's left on the floor. Then the killer tries to escape and trips? I don't know how to even justify the bloody handprints. Besides, Kristoph Gavin and Annaliese Montrieu were in the other room. They should have seen something like that."

"Didn't Annaliese testify something to that effect? They found Reiko in the hallway, trying to escape. She'd used the wall to support herself without her cane. What if the handprints don't belong to the murderer, but a witness to the crime?"

He shrugged. "Can we get fingerprints from those handprints? Are we sure that they belong to Reiko Horiyama? And if they do, why were her hands bloody?"

She saw the immediate hole in her case. If Reiko wasn't guilty, why were her hands bloody? Was there something they were missing?

Gumshoe was responding to Nathan's first question when she started paying attention to the conversation again. ". . . they're too saturated; I can't see the grooves to identify the fingerprint."

"But if we use fingerprinting powder . . ."

"Not likely, pal. The powder is going to stick to all of it. It'll be a clump of powder without any distinguishing features."

Both Nathan and Kiria sighed. "Can we find anything else here?" he asked, staring out of the nearby window. The sun was falling below the horizon, signalling the end of the day with a red and purple sunset. "I've got to go register our use of Luminol and the new information to the M.E., and you should probably go sleep; you've got to be exhausted."

She wilted. "I don't know it will help, rehashing the crime scene over and over again."

"What about your other case?"

"Not a lot I can do there. I can't think of anywhere else to go."

He nodded to Gumshoe. "I think we're going to take our leave. Have a good night, Detective." He nudged her. "Come on, I'll drive you home."

* * *

It wasn't until she arrived back home again that she got a text message back from Vladimir, the Russian prosecutor. _'This is a scholarly article from a major Defense Attorney magazine in Russia. It says: "The Downfalls of Facial Reconstruction and the Ways to Identify It". Hope this helps.'_

Her major target would have to be Ava Kutsch in the morning. She'd attempt to rearrange her evidence to make her theory plausible later. She collapsed on the couch, the effects of the long day impacted on her. _'Two cases. Two clients. One suspect, and one client who is guilty. I can't even think about how to go about that. Who do I have a duty to uphold: my client or the truth?'_

* * *

**A/N: Finally, a new chapter. Sorry; it's about two weeks later than I thought it would. I've been caught up in graduation stuff; I never realized High School graduation would be this big! It took me a while to figure out what I was doing with the trial after testing (I didn't really know what I was doing when I came back, so the trials are going in a totally different direction than they were originally.**

**Read and Review? c:**


	12. Turnabout International: Trial 1 Final

**Chapter Eleven: Turnabout International :: Trial 1 :: Day 3 [Final Trial]**

Kiria's first trial started at 9:00 the following morning, and despite her aversion to waking up early, she was relieved at the time. She now had a good three hours to wrap up the People v. Ross trial that she wasn't looking forward to before her next trial started. Her client was guilty. She was still bordering on her responsibility. Client or truth? She knew she couldn't give up without a fight. Besides, getting into the trial might give her enough time to figure out what to do about this problem.

There were few days that Kiria dreaded going into the courtroom, but today was one of them. Wrapping up a trial always felt cold and impersonal; the three days allotted for each trial was enough for a cursory decision. She never felt like she knew her clients well enough by the end. Almost like without the clash between the defense and the prosecution, she would have never known whether or not her client was guilty or not. In addition, she knew that Ralph Shiller was going to be watching her like a hawk today. She'd promised him the truth. She had to make sure he would receive it.

She entered the waiting room almost fifteen minutes early, feeling jumpy. The three cups of coffee that she'd consumed before the trial couldn't have helped. Her heel tapped the ground repeatedly as she waited for her client to arrive. Miles Edgeworth was the first to enter the room. _I suppose he'll do for conversation, I suppose. Just no case talk. Not that I need case talk. Perhaps he's got some good gossip or something._ He seated himself next to her on the couch, the scene mimicking the day before. "Morning."

"Good morning. Coffee?" he offered, holding out a styrofoam cup. "You look tired."

She chuckled. "No, but thanks. I had too many cups before I left home. Two cases doesn't leave a lot of time to sleep."

"No, I would say not. How is the other case going?"

She sighed. "We're not much farther along than yesterday, from what I know. We have an idea, thanks to Luminol, how our currently unnamed victim died. I don't know how I'm going to tie Madeleine Hamarch to the place of the victim, though. All of the connections that I'm making with this case hinge on that idea, and it's impossible to prove. Ghosts just aren't valid pieces of evidence."

"Perhaps the Medical Examiner's office will come up with a piece of hair or a fingerprint. Don't give up on proving it yet. And I wouldn't tell anyone about the ghosts thing. Not everyone's experienced some of the unrealistic stuff Wright goes through. They probably won't believe you."

"I hadn't guessed." She laughed. "I just feel as if we're missing some essential piece of information that will suddenly wrap the case up. You know, the perfect clue that will lead us to the murderer."

"You probably have it. You just haven't realized it. It happens in a lot of cases," he responded to her skeptical look. "The scenario will suddenly reveal itself and you'll realize that there's this one piece of evidence that hasn't fit the whole time and suddenly makes sense in a certain context. It'll all fall into place. You just don't have enough experience yet to realize it."

"I suppose." She didn't look pleased with the idea. She was a planner; she didn't like surprises. She was quickly figuring out, however, that there was no planning trials beforehand. She was getting used to hitting the ground running. "My client's arrived; I hope you don't mind if I leave you. There's . . . a lot to discuss."

"Of course. Good luck, Nomura."

"Same to you, Edgeworth." She rose, joining Edward Ross across the room. "Good morning, Mr. Ross."

"Good morning, Ms. Nomura. Last day of the trial, correct."

"Correct. I need to ask you a question, and I know that I already asked you this, but I _need_ the truth. Did you kill Violet Harmond?"

His face was the same as yesterday; as guilty as a child caught stealing from the cookie jar. "No, Ms. Nomura. I promise you, I did not kill my wife. We might have had our problems, but I could have never killed her. Every time I even contemplated violence against her, I remembered that girl she was in high school, and I just couldn't do it."

She wasn't sure where to proceed from here. She didn't have a scapegoat to accuse. There weren't a lot of people to accuse in this case. She would just have to attempt to prove Edward Ross's innocence and hope that someone else came up. That, or that he became so obviously guilty that it wouldn't matter what came out of her mouth. "The trial should be starting soon."

"You don't believe me, do you, Ms. Nomura?"

She'd half-expected him to pick up on it. After all, she'd always been a pretty open book, especially when it came to disapproval or disbelief. Even so, the question surprised her. Aloud, it sounded so blasphemous. But she wasn't about to lie to him. "No. I don't. I expect the evidence to proclaim you guilty. But I'm not just going to give up. You deserve a defense lawyer that gives you a fair chance."

"I promise you, Ms. Nomura. If the evidence proclaims me as the killer, it's been forged or planted or something like that. I did not kill my wife. I'd have rather gotten a divorce than killed her."

"The trial's about to start. Come on, we've got to get in the courtroom."

* * *

The stakes seemed higher today, just in general. Everyone in the courtroom knew that they weren't leaving until the trial was over. This was a matter of life and death.

The Judge was sitting on the edge of his seat today, leaning forward as if there were a riveting testimony in progress already. "Would the Prosecution give its opening statement?"

"Indeed, your Honor." Edgeworth rustled a few papers into order before proceeding. "The victim, Violet Harmond, was a woman that was in an unhappy marriage. She'd filed for divorce many times, all attempts unsuccessful because of her husband's abhorrence of divorce. She was a woman trapped in a situation she didn't want to be in. So, she embarked on a common path to those in her situation. She looked elsewhere for love. Violet Harmond began an affair with Ralph Shiller, an auto repairman who she'd met while taking her car into the shop. The Prosecution alleges that the defendant found out about the affair, tracked her down, and killed her with a single bullet to the back. The evidence supports this claim. The gun used to shoot the victim has the defendant's prints on it. While the Defense correctly ruled that because ofCalifornia's community-property laws, the defendant is not guilty of grand theft auto, this does not excuse him of murder. The Prosecution changes its charges to second-degree murder and drops its charge of grand theft auto."

"Does the Defense agree to the new charges?"

"The Defense accepts the new charges."

The Judge nodded. "Does the Defense have a rebuttal to the Prosecution's opening statement?"

"I do, your Honor. Although my client acknowledges marital problems, there is no proof that my client actually killed Violet Harmond. The fingerprints on the gun could have been placed on the gun at any time. According to the evidence report, the gun is registered under Edward Ross's name. The fingerprints could have been placed before the murder."

Edgeworth's mouth twitched into a smile. "That doesn't eliminate the fact that the ballistics matched. The only set of fingerprints found were those of the defendant's."

"Which doesn't matter! The killer could have easily worn gloves. In addition, my client claims that he already knew about Violet's infidelity. Why take action now? This wasn't a new cycle for the couple. Why would he have acted now, of all times?"

"Because Violet Harmond finally had something to her name. Or, more, was going to have something in her name."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm sure you've heard of Trinity Harmond, the famous movie producer? She's been very ill these last few weeks, and her will leaves everything to her niece, Violet."

"But Trinity Harmond isn't dead yet! What was the point of killing Violet early?"

Edgeworth crossed his arms over his chest. "I believe it was unintentional. The defendant merely meant to threaten Violet enough so that she would stop vying for divorces until after Trinity had passed her assets along. But things escalated, and the defendant shot her as she attempted to disarm him."

"Impossible. Violet was shot in the back. She would have to be running away. Besides, the shot wasn't from point blank. Why would he shoot her while she was running away?"

"Perhaps he panicked. He wanted to stop her and had no other alternatives."

"The car. He'd just picked the car up from Shiller's auto repair shop. It's not logical for him to have shot her."

Someone in the courtroom cleared his throat. "Excuse me."

"Ah, Mr. Ross!" The Judge nodded towards the defendant. "What is it? Do you have some information that could help the case?"

"I'd like to testify. No one . . . has heard my side of the story yet." Right. He'd refused to tell Kiria the first day, and she hadn't pressed him on it since. She was shaping up to be a pretty terrible attorney based on this case.

"Does the Prosecution have any objections?"

"No, your Honor."

"Ms. Nomura? Would you like time to prep the defendant?"

"Yes, your Honor. The Defense suggests a ten-minute recess."

"We will now take a ten-minute recess. Dismissed!"

* * *

"I think my side is important. The truth isn't coming out without it. I was hoping that there might be something that may prompt the truth, but . . ."

"What happened?"

Edward Ross bit his lip gently. "I saw a business card for a financial lawyer, and I got angry. I mean, she'd gone back to her maiden name, we were sleeping in different rooms, we had separate cars now . . . but finances had always been the one thing we'd agreed on. We'd picked our financial advisor years ago. He was a good friend to both of us. So, naturally, I was concerned when I saw the card. I knew that she had the car in at that auto shop where she was sleeping with the owner. I took the car, thinking that if it wasn't fixed by now, it would never be fixed, and drove around the city. I'd find her eventually, and I did, about four blocks away, walking to work. I stopped her and confronted her. And we started screaming at one another for a while, but then she calmed down. She started telling me about her Aunt Trinity, and how she needed to get our finances in control so that we could take responsibility of her assets. She'd been meeting with a financial lawyer to straighten everything out and file the paperwork when it was needed. It was the first time we'd talked. I mean, actually talked!

"While we were talking, she suddenly screamed. I felt myself being pushed over, and there was this loud bang. My ears were ringing, and I felt something slam into my chest. It didn't hurt, but it was like dead weight. Before I knew it, Violet was lying dead on top of me, a gunshot in her back. She'd jumped in front of me—protected me. I panicked. I pushed her off of me, but I couldn't find anywhere to put her. The gun was just feet away from me, thrown away carelessly, and I picked it up without even thinking about it. And then I ran. I dropped it later. But at that point, my head was so jumbled that I couldn't think straight. So, I just ran away from her, after she saved my life and everything."

"And that's why you felt so guilty . . ." The pieces were lining up. The guilty appearance he'd taken on; it wasn't the responsibility of the death, but having ran. It was why he hadn't told her to begin with.

"Exactly. Violet was brave enough to save my life—she sacrificed her own so that I could live—and I repaid her by leaving the scene."

She leaned forward, trying to piece the rest together. "Who was it that shot Violet then? The shot couldn't have come out of nowhere."

"I don't know. I remember hearing a car drive by . . . and it was dark green. I remember a dark green blur as it drove away. It sounded like a bigger car; it was loud. But there was no voice. Nothing that I remember."

"So, you couldn't ID him if you saw him?"

"No."

She sighed, checking her watch and taking cues from the bailiff at the door. "I want you to tell the truth. Tell the Prosecution everything you remember. I'm going to cross-examine you, but all I want _is the truth_. We want to find Violet's killer. Okay?"

He nodded. "The truth. Alright."

"Let's go back in. Good luck, Mr. Ross."

* * *

"Court is back in session. Mr. Ross, please take the stand."

Edward Ross seemed out of place at the witness stand. He was a larger man, but meek and mild. The bottom rim of his glasses hid his eyes from Kiria as she looked across the room, making him seem less human. It was almost like the stand had transformed him from someone who repented his cowardice to someone that could have become a cold-blooded killer just by taking another breath.

This was going to be a difficult cross-examination.

"Please state your name and occupation."

"I'm Edward Ross. I'm an insurance salesman. I sell life insurance."

Edgeworth nodded. "And what information do you have to add from the day of the killing?"

Edward Ross cleared his throat, pushing his glasses back up onto the bridge of his nose. "I tried to find Violet after I found out she was talking to a financial attorney. She was alive when I found her though, I swear! We began to talk it out, right there on the street. And then this green car drove by, and Violet screamed. The next thing I knew, it was driving away, I was on the ground, and Violet was dead in my hands."

"And how exactly did Violet die?" Edgeworth asked. "Where did the gun come from?"

"I . . . don't know. I heard the gunshot, but I didn't see it. But when I got back up again, the gun was sitting on the sidewalk."

Edgeworth stared at her intensely, seemingly waiting for her to find what he had figured out. She was still clueless. The ball was in her court, and she needed to score a slam dunk in this trial. Time for the cross-examination.

Kiria started out with the easiest questions first. "Why were you so concerned with Violet's interactions with a financial attorney?"

"Our financial advisor is a good friend. I was concerned that she was planning on turning on him. She'd already done a lot of things to try to force me into divorce. I didn't want him to be a casualty."

"You mentioned that finances were a leveler for you and Violet. Why was that?"

He shrugged. "Finances were easy. There was no emotion. Violet and I had both majored in financial fields in college. We knew how to do it. Besides, we weren't stressed when it came to money."

"What was the nature of your conversation?"

"What do you mean?"

"Between you and Violet that day on the street. What was the general tone?"

"Well, it started out angry. She was furious, and I was furious. But then when we started to calm down, it got better. It was like we were actually talking again rather than screaming at each other." He didn't seem to mind repeating his statements like some other witnesses. Instead, he had the most patient expression on his face. Something wasn't going to add up. This cross-examination was too easy.

"Do you remember what the alleged car looked like?"

"Well, it was dark green, and it had a really loud engine, like it was a larger car."

"But you don't know the make or model?"

He shook his head. "No. I'm not much of a car person anyways; even if I'd got a good look at it, I probably wouldn't have known anyways."

"You said the gun was left on the sidewalk. Where did the shot come from?"

"I think it was from the car. It drove off so fast, and there was no one else around."

She couldn't find a problem with that statement, although Edgeworth seemed to be rifling through his evidence now. She looked through her own, trying to find the contradiction.

_Damn it._ "Mr. Ross? You said there was no one else around?"

"Yes, no one around."

"You have a gun at home, correct?"

He nodded. "Yes, I do."

She sighed. He hadn't taken the hint, which meant she'd have to spell it out. "Mr. Ross, the murder weapon is your own gun. Why would a random person in a dark green car have a gun registered in your name?"

She could see Edgeworth's mouth curve into a grin as a devastated expression crossed Edward Ross's face. She'd found the right piece of evidence alright.

"T-To tell the truth, I didn't know where my gun had gone."

"Hm?" Edgeworth asked. "What do you mean, Mr. Ross?"

"Well, it had gone missing earlier that day. I checked the drawer that it was usually in before I left to find Violet, but I couldn't find it. I assumed she'd taken it."

"But you say she didn't have it when you found her."

"Right. I asked her where it was, and she didn't know what I was talking about."

"Who else knew where it was?"

He shook his head. "No one."

The attorneys looked at each other skeptically. _Especially convenient for someone accused of murder to have lost the murder weapon. But is there any way to prove it wasn't Mr. Ross who shot it?_ She racked her brain, looking at the evidence. Meanwhile, Edgeworth was filling the silence. "Mr. Ross, I would remind you how . . . transparent of a lie that is, should it prove to be untrue."

"But it is true! I don't know where the gun was!"

She looked up, the autopsy report in her hand. "Mr. Ross could not have shot her from as close of a distance as the Prosecution claims. If they were situated as Mr. Ross claims, there would be gunpowder burn surrounding the bullet hole, as it would have been a point-blank shot! In addition, the victim would have had her back turned to who she was speaking with!"

Edgeworth cocked an eyebrow. "You pointed out the problem in that assumption. How do we know that Mr. Ross was where he said he was?"

"I have evidence."

"Oh, really? Pray tell, what evidence would that be?"

Kiria bit her lip as she reviewed her evidence. Finally, her eyes lit up as the thoughts came to her. "I can confirm all of what Mr. Ross has said! After all, look at the jacket he was wearing that day! If he were the shooter, there would have been blood spatter. However, the blood is concentrated in the same spot, with very little spatter. Were he the shooter, those marks would be impossible."

Edgeworth's eyes snapped open in realization. Again, this young attorney had shown her knack of connecting the dots with her back against the wall. "So, you claim that Violet saw the gun and pushed her husband out of the way, sacrificing her own life to prolong the life of his?"

She nodded. "Something like that. I can guess she intended to have both of them out of the way of the shot before it hit. But, of course, Violet Harmond was no detective; she'd probably only seen a gun fired on television. It came in much too fast for her to clear its path, and buried itself in her back. As Mr. Ross rose, probably to see what had happened, he noticed her bleeding and turned her over, so that the blood on her back stained his jacket."

"But then why was the gun in his possession when the police apprehended him a few blocks away?"

"People are illogical, Mr. Edgeworth," she explained. "He connected that the gun had killed Violet, picked it up, and then realized the danger of what had just happened. He began to flee in self-preservation, taking the gun with him for protection."

He nodded slowly, looking over his own evidence. "It is . . . a possibility, but unconfirmed. If we assume that Mr. Ross is indeed innocent, then who killed Violet Harmond?"

She was ready for this one. "The financial attorney, Patrick Shiller."

She didn't elaborate, and he waited for a second before asking the obvious question. "Do you have any evidence for this, Ms. Nomura? Or are you just throwing out a random name and bluffing it out, like a certain mentor of yours?"

"Actually, it's the only logical explanation. Violet was going to Mr. Shiller for information concerning her aunt's inheritance. In rare cases, the receiver's own property can be taxed, if it was owned by the deceased. Mr. Ross, was your home paid for by you or Trinity Harmond?"

"It was a gift from her Aunt Trinity, our home was. Violet was her only niece, and Trinity knew we were paying for the wedding on our own, so she bought the house for us. But why is that applicable?"

She grinned. "Because in order to get an estimate for the taxable amount that would be taken via inheritance taxes, the house would need to be appraised. Now, Violet hadn't told you she was meeting with Mr. Shiller, and so she couldn't just lead him around the house at any time. So, she gave him a key and told him not to come during certain hours."

"Making him the third person with the key to the house."

"Exactly."

Edgeworth crossed his arms. "But why couldn't they just go together while Mr. Ross was at work? Why give him a key to the house?"

"Because Mr. Ross was already suspecting of his wife. He knew that she was unfaithful to him. If he ever came home from work early and found the two together . . ."

" . . . he would assume that Mr. Shiller was her lover."

"He would forbid her from seeing her any longer, which would stop her financial advice. But if he were to come alone, Violet would be at work. As long as Mr. Ross didn't come home sick from work, the appraisal would be completely unknown."

"The Prosecution requests that Patrick Shiller be called as a witness."

"A ten-minute recess will be taken in order to call Mr. Shiller to the stand. Dismissed!"

* * *

Kiria exhaled, sinking into the bench outside of the courtroom door. "Does this seem even halfway plausible?" she asked Edward Ross, who was standing nearby.

He nodded. "It's elaborate enough to be Violet's scheme. She was brilliant, really. Quite a remarkable person."

"So I've heard." She leaned back against the wall, trying to formulate her next steps.

"Nomura."

"Edgeworth." She contemplated standing, but decided against it, looking up into his face as he approached.

"Do you have a plan for where to go next? You're trying to blame someone who is very tenuously related to the case."

She shrugged. "First, we'll have to see his keys. If he has the keys, that's possibility. I'll go from there depending on what he says."

"We have no fingerprints. We have no motive. It's going to be hard to pin the murder of Violet Harmond on him."

"Are you going to stop the cross-examination because of irrelevance? Is that why you're warning me?"

He shook his head. "No. No, I'm going to try to assist you in any way I can, if the truth reveals itself. But if the Judge starts pointing out that time is wasting, or it's inconclusive, and I've got to stop it."

"I get that. Thanks."

* * *

There was a general murmur around the courtroom as court reconvened. This was the final showdown. If she couldn't convince the Judge that Patrick Shiller was the killer, Edward Ross would be declared guilty. Edgeworth was willing to play with her if she could keep the possibility open. She had one chance at this, and one chance only. _Time to get serious._

"Court will now reconvene."

"The Prosecution calls Patrick Shiller to the stand."

His dark curls bounced as he took the witness stand, light glinting off of his white teeth. But as she looked at him with a renewed understanding of the case, she saw just how much was a facade. His smile was a simpering smile, meant to placate. It failed to reach his eyes, which were squinty and dark. His dark jacket wrapped around him so thoroughly that it was like it covered up any secrets he might have been hiding.

_I'll find those secrets. It's my duty to Edward Ross and Violet Harmond. I must find the truth!_

"Name and occupation?"

"I'm Patrick Shiller. I'm a Financial Attorney."

"And Violet Harmond was one of your clients?"

"Indeed, she was."

Kiria stepped in at this point. "Did Violet Harmond ever entrust a key into your care into her house for assessment?"

He nodded. "Yes, the key is right here." He dangled his key ring in front of his face. "May I ask why I'm being called as a witness?"

Edgeworth worked with her as effortlessly as a good cop, bad cop routine. "Mr. Shiller, you are suspected for the murder of Violet Harmond. Your complete cooperation would be appreciated. Now, where were you at 4pm two days ago?"

Shiller didn't even look fazed. "I was in my office. I was in a conference call with a client and my boss."

"Can we confirm that alibi?" the Judge asked, looking down at the bailiff. He immediately scampered off.

"When was the last time you saw the victim?" Edgeworth asked, not missing a beat.

Shiller's eyes drifted to the ceiling. "That would be . . . about eleven o'clock two days ago. She came into my office asking about finances. But I can't reveal much. Attorney-client confidentiality, you know."

"Mr. Shiller, might I remind you that you're in the middle of a murder investigation? Confidentiality doesn't apply in the courts, especially not about the victim in this case."

Shiller shrugged. "I like to maintain trust in my clients, dead or alive. After all, who knows when the dead could come back to haunt us?" His eyes took in Kiria's image, and she shuddered. It was like he knew that she was seeing spirits. Shiller knew something about her, and she didn't like that.

"In any case," she said, trying to bravado her way through her awkward feelings, "your client is dead, and your innocence in the murder of Violet Harmond hinges on your cooperation in this."

"Ms. Nomura. A pleasure to see you again. I see that since I refused to tell you the information yesterday, you bring me to court to reveal it. A cunning move indeed. That sort of determination is admirable in a woman." He smiled sweetly, covering up the remark he'd just let slip. "Fine, I'll tell." His face changed from a Casanova to a cheeky boy who had an ace up his sleeve. "What do you want to know again?"

Kiria took a deep breath. _Come on, patience. Remember: he's the murderer. He'll try to hit below the belt so that I get distracted. I just can't get distracted._ "We were wondering what the nature of your conversation with Violet Harmond was that day."

"Oh, yes. Well, she came to ask about anything she could do to keep her inheritance from her husband. She didn't want it to go into their joint fund."

"And what did that advice entail?" Edgeworth asked.

He shrugged. "I couldn't do much for her, to tell the doesn't give many loopholes for married couples. I told her that as long as she was married, he had access to her funds."

_Huh. That's not the impression he gave me yesterday. Didn't he say that he'd fixed her need for a divorce lawyer?_ She shrugged it off. She didn't have the evidence to protest it. "So, how did she react to that?"

"She wasn't happy about it. She left looking pretty angry. But, hey, that's how the ball rolls, right? You can't have all that you want."

The Judge seemed to be unimpressed with the questioning. "Is there a reason for this line of questioning? I fail to see the importance of this."

"Your Honor, this is important. This will . . . give us insight into the . . . emotional state of the victim." Kiria wasn't even sure she'd spoken in English, let alone coherently, but the Judge seemed to buy it. She returned to her questioning of the witness. _I have to go a different route. I know that he admitted to giving her advice yesterday, but I can't prove it yet. I've got to find some other way to look at this that I can apply evidence to._ "You said that you couldn't help Violet much, but that implies that there was something she could do. What would that be?"

He raised his eyebrows at her use of semantics. He could tell she was reaching for new information, but she'd been trained by the best. She'd bluff it out until she could prove his guilt. "Well, the only ways to get out of Community-Property laws with a spouse are to claim insanity, file for divorce, or have them die." His eyes narrowed as he saw hers alight with renewed flame. "I doubt that Violet would have taken any of those seriously. Besides, Violet was the one shot at. How do you explain that?"

There was a silence in the courtroom as all eyes were on her. She racked her brain, attempting to figure out an answer to the question, before realizing that the answer was right in front of all of them. "No. Violet wasn't the one shot at. In fact, it's just the opposite. Mr. Ross should have been the one that was shot. The bullet was aimed at him. We're not looking for a reason to kill Violet . . . we're looking for a reason to kill Edward Ross. The only person that has a motive to kill him is . . . Patrick Shiller!"

"Objection! Ralph Shiller has more of a reason to kill Mr. Ross than his brother! How does the financial attorney have more motive than the lover?"

"Because Ralph Shiller saw Violet Harmond the day _before_ the murder."

"And that explains everything how?" Edgeworth asked, leaning back on his heels in confusion.

Kiria crossed her arms over her chest. "Because we have to think about the chain of events. Mr. Ross said that he went to find Violet _after_ he found out that she was using a financial attorney. The unanswered question is _how_ did he find out that she was using a financial attorney?"

"Alright, I suppose I'll play along. I suppose that he'd have seen a business card somewhere in the house, correct?"

She nodded. "Let's assume that. After all, we have a stack of business cards submitted as evidence, right? I would bet my attorney's badge that Mr. Shiller's card is in there."

Edgeworth shrugged. "Let's look." He rifled through the cards in the plastic bag. "Alright, it looks like it's the card on the bottom. Care to take a look?"

She accepted the card, examining it front and back. "Aha!" A cheeky grin found its way onto her face. "Alright, Mr. Edgeworth. Let's say that Mr. Ross finds the card. Let's walk through this logically. Violet works in Real Estate; what's problematic about having a financial attorney's card in with the other cards? After all, financial attorneys need real estate agents too."

He smiled despite himself. "I thought that was your job?"

"Fine, fine. Don't play with me. Logically, there has to be something different with the card for Mr. Ross to take note of it, correct? Otherwise, it would just look the same as every other card in the stack."

He nodded. "Right. But I don't see anything special about that card."

"Which is exactly the problem. Look at all of the other cards. They all have an alternate number penciled onto them somewhere on the card."

"But Mr. Shiller doesn't have another number on his card."

"Exactly my point. It's different _because_ it doesn't have another number."

Edgeworth shrugged. "So what if it doesn't have another number? How does that make it suspicious? If anything, I'd think that made it less suspicious."

"Look at the number provided. It's a work number."

"So? Perhaps Mr. Shiller doesn't have a personal number."

Kiria shook her head and chuckled. "Mr. Edgeworth, as a fellow attorney, I'd have thought you would figure out the pitfalls of only having a work number. We're constantly away from the office. It's very hard not to have a personal number, especially with a client."

"But it's not impossible."

She rolled her eyes. "Mr. Shiller? Do you have a cell phone or a home phone?"

The man nodded. "I have a cell phone, yes."

"Case closed. He has a cell phone. So then the question arises; why is there no cell phone number on this card?"

"This would be the question that Mr. Ross would ask himself, I assume."

"Of course. Mr. Ross knows that Violet is cheating on him, but doesn't know with whom. Perhaps it occurs to him that he should find out if this is his wife's lover." She turned to Patrick Shiller. "Did you happen to have contact with Mr. Edward Ross after talking with Violet Harmond? There's no point in lying; we'll take your phone into evidence and have the calls archived," she reminded him when his mouth slipped into an impudent pout.

The threat seemed to bounce off of him effortlessly. "No."

Mr. Ross spluttered. "I came and saw you at your office!"

Patrick Shiller turned and eyed the defendant coolly. "Prove it."

_Damn it. There would be no record . . . unless . . . _"I believe there could be a testimony that could prove it."

"Ms. Nomura, how many testimonies are we going to call before we figure out the truth? The Defense is reaching in order to pin the crime on an innocent man. The Prosecution objects to a new testimony."

_No, no, no. This can't be happening. I need proof. I've got to have proof somewhere. Think, Nomura, think!_ As the Judge agreed with Edgeworth, she channeled her energy into looking through the evidence. Did she have anything that could tie Edward Ross and Patrick Shiller together? "I don't need the testimony. I have . . . a pen."

Edgeworth let out a bout of derisive laughter. "Is this another attempt to loosely tie the defendant to the witness?"

"Actually, it's quite concrete. The pen, like every other piece of evidence, was dusted for prints. The only set of prints on the pen belonged to the defendant."

"And how does that tell us anything?"

Kiria smiled. "Look at the logo. This came from Mr. Shiller's Law Firm. It even says Mr. Shiller's name on it."

"So?"

"It confused me that there were no prints on the pen. After all, it's one of those pens that you hand to a client. Violet Harmond had an identical one with prints on it at their home. So why didn't Mr. Ross's pen have fingerprints?"

"Ms. Nomura, you're reaching again."

"No, I'm saying that Patrick Shiller set Mr. Ross up. Or more likely, he was setting Violet Harmond up."

Edgeworth sighed. "Would you mind just getting your far-fetched theory out there so that I can prove it to be so?"

_Getting tired of the games, Edgeworth? Get Shiller to confess, and it'll be over. You're not making this very easy, you know._ "What I think happened was that Shiller told Violet the only ways to keep the money out of Mr. Ross's hands, and she was desperate enough to plot one. She set up a plot with Shiller, promising him a cut of her aunt's inheritance if he helped her. She set out the card where she knew he'd find it. She knew he'd naturally want to check out what was going on. He visits Shiller, and Shiller finds identifiers. Shiller slips him the pen, with gloves on to mask any fingerprints, in order to establish a similarity between Ross and Violet in case something goes wrong. Then he prepares to do a drive-by shooting, still having gloves on to avoid fingerprints. Violet sees the car, has a change of heart, and jumps in front of her husband."

"So, you think that Violet Harmond was in on the plot?"

She nodded. "It's the only logical explanation."

"No, the only _logical_ explanation is that Edward Ross killed his wife in an escalated argument, and that he's lying about everything else in order to save his own skin and make an innocent man look guilty."

"Objection! How do you explain the gun?"

"Obviously Mr. Ross is lying about that as well as everything else. How are you explaining Mr. Shiller's alibi?"

She shrugged. "It's unconfirmed."

The Bailiff reentered the courtroom with a disk in his hand. "The witness's alibi checks out, Your Honor. There's even proof of it on this disk."

"Audio?" Edgeworth asked.

The bailiff nodded. "Yessir. Apparently all of the attorney offices are outfitted with bugs in order to monitor the deals being made."

The Judge looked confused. "Bugs? How does that help anything?"

"It's technology similar to a wiretap, your Honor. It's not a literal bug," Edgeworth explained. "The Prosecution requests that we listen to this audio, in order to dispel any more of the Defense's ridiculous theories."

"The Defense seconds the request, although not for the same reason as the Prosecution. Obviously." She glared at Edgeworth before returning her gaze to the Judge.

"OBJECTION!"

The call echoed through the courtroom, cutting through the intense silence. Patrick Shiller leaned forward on the witness's stand, a drop of sweat trailing down his face. His expression was one of thinly-disguised panic, his jaw clenched together strongly. His fingers were clenched on the bench, knuckles turning white because of the pressure exerted upon them. "Client confidentiality. That's . . . breaking client-attorney confidentiality."

"Mr. Shiller, your boss has assented to playing the recording in court." The bailiff stood his ground until he cowered under the concentrated glare of the witness. "I mean . . . it's . . . just that . . ."

The Judge took over. "Mr. Shiller, attorney-client confidentiality does not apply in the court of law. Bailiff, play the recording."

"Mr. Shiller, please, calm down. You're giving the Defense more ideas," Edgeworth deadpanned, shooting her a look that said that she might certainly be onto something here. _This had better be good, otherwise Mr. Ross will undoubtedly be declared guilty. Why can't I get an easy trial one of these days?_ She sighed inwardly as the bailiff set up the speakers.

"It's ready, your Honor."

The Judge nodded. "Let it play."

The speakers sputtered with the recording, and then let out a tinny-sounding voice. _"Ms. Harmond, please, calm down. I know that it's not an optimistic future, but you might be able to convince him of divorce. Just keep trying."_

Now was a woman's voice responding, one that made both Edward Ross and Patrick Shiller stiffen in their seats for entirely different reasons. _"I just can't continue with it. Ralph . . . he told me you'd be able to help me. Please, Mr. Shiller. I can't keep going with this marriage, and Edward won't allow me out of it . . . There's only one way to get out now. I need your help."_

_"And what are you suggesting, Ms. Harmond?"_

_"Please. I'll give you all of it. The house. The car, the 950 million dollars. All of it. Just help me kill my husband."_

_"Ms. Harmond? Are you feeling alright? You can't be serious!"_

_"I am. Just . . . please! You don't have to do much; I just need you to shoot him. I can't do it. I don't even know how to fire a gun. But Ralph said you did. You and he used to go hunting on the weekends as children. Just think of this as a new hunting experience. Please. Everything I own would be yours . . ."_

_"Violet . . . I . . . I can't do this."_

_"You can! Please, please, please. I'll leave town and never bother you again. I'll make it look like he killed himself. Please!"_

There was a long pause in which there were the sounds of crying and fingers tapping on the desk. _"Alright. I'll do it. Are you sure you want to do this?"_

_"I do. I want to do this. I can't stand this marriage anymore. Either he dies or I do. You can't die emotionally any more than I have. This is self-preservation now, Patrick."_

_"Later. Around two-thirty. Be on Sunrise Boulevard with him. I'll shoot him."_

_"How will I know it's you?"_

_"The car. It's my green sedan in the parking lot. How will I know him?"_

_"I'll leave the card in the windowsill. He can't not see it then. Thank you so much. I just . . . I can't do it."_

_"I understand. Good bye, Violet."_ The recording ended with a fizzled sound, a click, and then finally silence.

Patrick Shiller looked very uncomfortable.

"Bailiff, arrest this man!" the Judge declared. Edward Ross looked devastated.

Edgeworth only stared at her. "How did you know?"

"Ralph Shiller. Violet must have been thinking about it the day before. Ralph said that Violet had had a fit the day before the murder. Plus, the bullet was in too strange of a spot for Mr. Ross to have shot her. There are certain things you can logic out without evidence that should be in a court of law that currently have no place in it. I had no proof until the recording came out though."

He nodded. The Judge, meanwhile, was making his final verdict. "Mr. Edward Ross, I believe you committed a terrible crime, but not one punishable by law. It's lucky for you that imposing your personal beliefs upon a woman who wanted freedom is not in the books as a crime. However, in the murder of Violet Harmond, I declare you NOT GUILTY. Court is dismissed."

* * *

"Not a happy end to the trial," Edgeworth remarked as they left together.

"No. Not happy at all. Poor Mr. Ross was the victim of an unhappy marriage that he created. It's unfortunate that Violet Harmond felt herself in that desperate of a mindset to ask Patrick Shiller to kill him, though."

"Ms. Nomura! Hey, you! Stop right there!" Ralph Shiller was running towards the pair, and he looked so red that for a moment, she was afraid he was going to hit her. "I . . . I owe you an apology," he said as he halted in front of her. "I figure, if Violet had friends like you before her death, she mighta been in a better place."

"You're not angry at me? For getting your brother thrown in jail?" she asked in surprise.

He shook his head. "I'm not happy about it, but I get that he was doing it for her, just as I woulda done if I'd been in his situation. But you figured out the truth of what happened to Violet, and that was all I asked you to do. So . . . thanks."

She smiled. "It's just my job. Do a favor for me, and tell Mr. Ross that I'm sorry to have to leave him without any departing words, but I have another trial to run to." She looked up at Edgeworth. "Shall we? I'm sure Nathan's waiting for us outside of the courtroom."

"Of course. After all, the truth is waiting for us in the new trial, and hopefully some more evidence."

"Hopefully." _It's time to bring the truth to Madeleine Hamarch. Besides, I learned a valuable lesson during this trial. Trust your client, no matter what. I need to trust in Reiko Horiyama more than I trusted in Edward Ross. Time to find the truth._

* * *

**A/N: I'd feel worse about this chapter being so late if it weren't about twice the length of my normal chapters. Anyways, this clears up the first story arc, which ended differently than it was originally going to. Hope it made some sense. c:**

**In other news, I am now a high school graduate! Graduation was this weekend, and I never realized quite how emotional it would be. So if this chapter seems disjointed, it's because it was written in between graduation rehearsals and such, about 300 words at a time.**

**Read and review?**


	13. Turnabout International : Trial 2 Day 2

**Chapter Twelve :: Turnabout International :: Trial 2 :: Day 2**

Nathan looked relieved when his mentor and his opponent finally made it onto the scene. "There you are! I was starting to get nervous."

"Sorry; I've been in a trial since nine. Speaking of which, tell me when we're rescheduling lunch to, Mr. Edgeworth, because I believe you owe me. Again." Kiria winked coquettishly, laughing. Edgeworth merely rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

"_Anyways, _if we could get back on track?" Nathan asked sarcastically. "We now have a firm cause of death." He brandished a manilla folder at her. "An updated autopsy report. We were right about the blow to the head being the killing blow. However, the cane didn't match the markings from the wound, and there was too little blood for the wound. We're looking for a material that soaked up the excess blood and a possible murder weapon. Nothing that I've currently got works as a murder weapon. You?"

"What shape are we looking for?"

Nathan shrugged. "Something with a 90 degree angle. Medical Examiner suggested the side of a box, but he said it's just as likely to be something else. So, in other words, who knows?"

She chuckled. "Just another mystery in this enigmatic case. Let's go over what we do know."

He nodded. "Let's see . . . well, we know that Ava Kutsch is _not_ the victim. However, we're not going to get to question her."

"What?" The word burst out of her like she'd expelled it after being hit in the stomach. It was a serious blow to her case. "Why not?"

"Police department couldn't get anything out of her during questioning. They won't let her into court until she answers their questions."

"So we're not going to get to figure out the truth because the police can't do their job correctly?" She seemed less than impressed. "Great. More speculation. This isn't an easy case to begin with, and now we're having to deal with this?"

Nathan couldn't help but crack a grin at her exasperation. "And you don't even get to control their salaries. Sucks to be you."

"Apparently even the Chief of Police is trying to crack her," Edgeworth offered. "Sometimes you just can't avoid these problems. You'll figure it out with or without a witness."

"We don't even have a victim. How are we supposed to do this trial? It sounds like it's going to be a lot of pointing fingers and shouting in desperation." Kiria sighed.

"A total waste of time," Nathan agreed.

Edgeworth nodded. "Look over your evidence. You've got enough there; don't worry about trying to prove what you don't have. Look for what you do have, and find the truth in that."

She remembered Phoenix telling her something to that effect after she'd witnessed one of his trials. _"The court doesn't care about what you don't know. Show them what you do know, and leave what you don't know until you're asked about it. _That_ is the art of the attorney. It's not about pretending to know the truth. It's about piecing together the truth between what you know and what the Prosecutor knows to find the perfect solution."_

"Right. It's all about the truth. Not about the cross-examination, but the truth." She flicked her hair back, trying to keep herself composed. No panic attacks, not here in the courtroom. Her nerves were already fried from the last trial, and she still had to prove her theories in the courtroom without Nathan pointing out problems at every turn.

She was a heap of quivering Jell-O in heels, turning towards the wind in a desperation that had only been seen in previous Warriors of Truth. It only would take a strong blast to sweep her away and decimate her case completely.

"My client's here." She excused herself politely to stand by Reiko Horiyama. If she didn't do anything else, she was going to believe in her client. She wasn't about to make the same mistake twice. Now it wasn't another judge by their side. It was a defense attorney that stood beside them.

* * *

"Court is in session for the State of California v. Horiyama. How has the investigation progressed between the Prosecution and the Defense?"

There was a silent moment of silence, a moment that struck a small bolt of fear into Kiria's heart. Had they found enough to progress the trial?

Nathan's smile never faltered. "Increasingly well. Our victim, however, is not Ava Kutsch." He was forced to pause as a deafening roar echoed over the courtroom. Both attorneys could see every body twisting around to speculate with their neighbor. He waited until it lessened before continuing. "Ms. Kutsch was found in a hospital bed awaiting facial reconstruction surgery. You can thank Ms. Nomura over there," he paused to tip his head toward her in recognition, "for finding her. In addition, we have an updated autopsy report. As the court can probably read, our victim died from blunt force trauma to the right side of the head. However, the cane doesn't fit the profile of the weapon, and therefore could not have committed the final blow."

He stopped talking and stared at her, obviously trying to communicate for her to speak. _Dammit, Nathan. You could have at least warned me before telling me that I had to give half of your opening statement_. "Unfortunately, we don't have any idea what the murder weapon is, nor do we have a confirmed victim yet. Obviously, there are still some major holes in the case. Key assumptions we once made have been questioned. This case is more than initially meets the eye," Kiria finished, crossing her arms over her chest.

"So, where does that leave us?" the Judge asked hesitantly. He seemed to be kind of lost between the new information and his own cluelessness.

"The Prosecution maintains Reiko Horiyama's guilt. While Ms. Kutsch was caught in a compromising position, it does not mean that Ms. Kutsch committed the murder. Reiko Horiyama was found limping away from the scene of the crime. Ms. Kutsch was a renowned attorney of some value. The idea that she would commit something of this caliber is ridiculous." He extended his hand toward Kiria, a silent offer to give her stance.

She grinned. "Obviously, the Defense maintains Ms. Horiyama's _innocence_. There is no proof that Ms. Horiyama committed the crime, especially now that the only piece of decisive evidence against her has now been proven not to be the murder weapon."

The Judge looked between them again, his gaze lingering for a few seconds over both of them. "Well, since we have two differing opinions, we still have a trial. To tell the truth, I'm the most interested in the victim-hooplah. I believe this is the first time in this courtroom that we've found that the victim is not who we thought they were. Are we going to hear from Ms. Kutsch?"

Nathan shook his head. "No, your Honor. Ms. Kutsch, after being apprehended, refused to cooperate with the Police's questioning. The Police refuse to have her testify without satisfactory completion of questioning."

"Hm. How shall we progress in the trial, then, Mr. Price? The obvious step is unavailable."

"The Prosecution would like to call Kristoph Gavin to the stand. Mr. Gavin was the first person in the office after Ava Kutsch. The Prosecution believes that Mr. Gavin should be able to speak to the possible victim."

Kiria couldn't suppress her disgust. Her first time standing in the courtroom with him, and she couldn't even lay a finger on his activity in Phoenix's disbarring. On the other hand, Nathan had a plan. She'd have to restrain herself and question him like any other witness. Hopefully, he had some information that could progress her case.

"Alright. Let's hear this witness's testimony! Please, bailiff, summon the witness into the courtroom!"

* * *

Her impressions of Kristoph Gavin hadn't changed since a few days ago. As he flipped his bangs from his face with his self-assured smile, a chill ran down her spine. God, how she wanted to prosecute him and find out what had really happened behind the disbarring of her mentor. Unfortunately, that was a different trial. Her obligation was not to Phoenix Wright, but to Madeleine Hamarch, and she needed to focus solely on that instead.

Nathan was smiling. "Witness, state your name and occupation."

"Kristoph Gavin, Defense Attorney and owner of Gavin Law Offices."

"Thank you. Ms. Montrieu testified yesterday as to finding Reiko Horiyama. However, we'd like you to testify as to any happenings before the murder. Were there any people that entered the International Attorney Offices that had the possibility to be our victim?"

Kristoph looked surprised. "Ah, I don't believe so. I'll admit that I was filing at the time, but I was facing the door, so I should have seen anyone that came in."

"Objection! There are two doors in the building; the front door, which connects to the hallway that Mr. Gavin could have seen any visitors, and the side door, which connects to Ms. Kutsch's office and the Case File Room. Therefore, visitors could have entered through the side door, outside of Mr. Gavin's vision," Kiria pointed out.

"Well, yes, but only if they possessed a key. You see, Ms. Nomura, as you should know, the side door is locked from the outside. Keys are only distributed to members of the International Attorney Committee. All of the attorneys that have keys have been confirmed as alive, and therefore could not be the victims."

Nathan locked eyes with her to make sure she was done with the response before continuing. "What time did you arrive at the International Attorney Offices?"

"It must have been about five-thirty or so. Reiko arrived at six, so she would have seen anyone that came in as well."

"And no one came into the offices at that time?"

"Not through the front door. Well, actually, there was someone. One of the public prosecutors came in for Reiko. They talked in the hallway, and then Reiko went to talk to Ms. Kutsch. Other than that, no one else came in."

"And the public prosecutor?"

"He only went in the hallway. Nowhere else."

Kiria frowned. "And my client?"

Kristoph shrugged. "I can't say that I know where she went. I didn't see her leave, but Ms. Kutsch stopped talking to her long before she actually came in. Their voices stopped, at least."

"So, you have no proof that my client went into the room?"

"Not a bit. It wasn't what I was called to testify about. All that I know is that only the public prosecutor came into the office between five-thirty and when we found the dead body."

_Hm. This is problematic. Not only do we not have any clue who the victim is from the testimony, but it also throws suspicion onto Ms. Horiyama._ There was a need to regroup and figure out a new strategy, because the current one wasn't working. She briefly wondered what the function of Kristoph's testimony had been. Nathan had to have had a reason for summoning him as a witness, right?

"From this testimony, we can tell that none of the attorneys of the International Attorney Committee could have been the victims. Would you agree, Ms. Nomura?"

_Is that all that we found out? I feel like there was something else we just learned. What assumptions do we have wrong?_ She racked her brain, thinking over the testimony. If there were no visitors from the time that Kristoph entered the office to the time that the murder occured, then there was a contradiction right there. There was no victim, which was impossible because the one thing they did have was a victim. Therefore, if the victim didn't enter the offices after Kristoph had arrived, then . . .

"That's not all that we just learned, Mr. Price. If Mr. Gavin's testimony is to be believed, then the crime could not have been committed after five-thirty, since the victim did not arrive in the offices after that!" Kiria crossed her arms over her chest, now thinking the consequences of this realization over. If the crime had been committed earlier, then her client could not have committed the crime, since she hadn't arrived until six.

Nathan's eyes snapped open in surprise, and she even had the pleasure of seeing Edgeworth's face contort as he realized the implications. Their timeline was completely wrong. They were looking at the wrong set of witnesses.

"Mr. Gavin!" Nathan demanded. "Was there anyone in the office that was there when you arrived?"

Kristoph pondered that, placing his hand on his chin. "Ms. Kutsch, I believe. There was no one else there when I arrived."

"Absolutely no one other than Ms. Kutsch?"

"No, no one."

_Score one for the Defense Team._ Kiria's mouth curved into a grin before she realized what that meant. There was no where they could go in the trial. With the wrong timeline, they needed Ava Kutsch to inform them what had happened earlier. Ava Kutsch was ineligible to be a witness. Her heart sank. Today's trial had effectively ended where all coherent arguments were concerned.

The Judge looked between them again. "I believe this calls for a cross-examination of Ms. Kutsch."

"Indeed. However, Ms. Kutsch cannot be summoned as a witness until she completes her police questioning. I believe that we've reached an impasse. Unless you have a point that you'd like to make, Ms. Nomura?" Nathan asked.

Most of her planning the previous night had centered around the incrimination of Ava Kutsch. She looked through the evidence in her possession. She had wanted to establish Madeleine Hamarch as the victim, but she couldn't figure out how. Even the autopsy from Evangeline Illane's car crash did nothing to clarify Madeleine's involvement. _It's probably better to wait until I know that I have evidence. We're cutting this close; we've had two days of useless trial in order to resolve this tomorrow morning. It's crunch time. _She shook her head. "I don't. I think we need more investigation and the availability of Ms. Kutsch to answer our questions."

The Judge nodded. "I see. We will conclude this trial tomorrow. I expect both the Prosecution and the Defense to have all of the evidence possible to issue a verdict. Court dismissed."

* * *

**Turnabout International :: Day 2 :: Investigation**

"So, where do we start now?" Nathan asked as soon as they'd exited the courtroom. "We're lost until Ms. Kutsch is released from questioning."

"I need to talk to my client. You can look for more evidence as to when the murder actually occured while I'm at the Detention Center. I'll call you if Ava's released from questioning before I leave." Kiria twisted a piece of hair around her finger in thought. "Sound good?"

Nathan nodded. "Yeah. I'll stop by the Medical Examiner's before I go to the scene. Let's see if we can't confirm the victim while we're spinning in circles."

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "I'll see what I can't unearth about Reiko Horiyama and Ava Kutsch. After all, I've met both of them, and neither seems to be the type to suddenly murder someone. Perhaps we can establish a motive when we figure out who the victim is. Or more, confirm who the victim is."

"Right. Divide and conquer." Nathan nodded, a smile gracing his features. "So, let's get going! Come on, Kiria, I'll drop you off on my way."

* * *

The ride to the Detention Center had been mostly quiet, a few snippets of conversation based on the trial and the strategy to solve the case by tomorrow. The high that Kiria had been riding after figuring out that the crime had happened earlier in the day had now subsided to worry as she realized that if she failed to solve the case, her client would likely be proclaimed guilty. Nathan seemed muted as well. It was the first time she'd seen his bravado fall since he'd seen Ava Kutsch in the hospital.

"Thanks," she murmured as he pulled into the parking lot. She opened the door, pausing. "Are you alright?" she finally asked. They'd been friends for years; more than enough time for her to recognize that the expression etched across his face wasn't normal.

He stared out the windshield vacantly. "Do you ever . . . feel like there's so much left to do and no time to do it in? Like you're about to let someone down if you fail?"

She'd forgotten that this was his first case. "In this line of work, if you don't feel like that, you're not doing your job right." He chuckled, and she, convinced she'd cheered him up a little, closed the door and prepared herself to meet with her client.

* * *

"Your college friend knows his way around the courtroom already," Reiko remarked as Kiria seated herself on the other side of the glass. "It's a difficult case; I'd have never put him on it. I suppose Edgeworth knows what he's doing."

Kiria laughed. "Neither of us really has a clue about this case. We're back at square one, if you hadn't figured that out from the trial earlier. We've got to gather new testimony and witnesses. Speaking of the time change in this case, you weren't in the Office before you entered at six, right?"

"No, of course not."

"You wouldn't happen to have a confirmable alibi, would you?"

Reiko shook her head. Kiria sighed. _It probably was too much to hope for. After all, that would be too easy._ All of a sudden, a look of relief dawned upon the older attorney's face. "Actually, I do for some of the day. I had lunch with a detective from 11 to 2 in the afternoon. It was Christopher Hamarch; he's really quite a detective, if I do say so myself. We had worked a case together a few weeks ago, and he'd been the decisive testimony, so I offered to treat him to lunch."

_Hamarch? Damn, this guy's name keeps coming up everywhere. Sounds like I need to make a date with him too. _"Do you know how I could get ahold of him? I want to make sure I can reach him, in case your alibi comes into question."

"Of course. Go down to the Precinct; the Chief of Police should be able to tell you how to reach him. I don't remember his number; it's in my cell phone, which they confiscated when they apprehended me."

"And after you went to lunch with him? Where did you go?" Kiria asked, an attempt to cover all of her bases.

She shrugged. "I went home. I had the day off work."

"You have a husband, don't—"

"—we're separated."

She was shocked by the woman's brusque interruption, but the look that crossed her face as well. Reiko Horiyama was hiding something. _Oh well. Domestic affairs aren't my problem until they cross into the illegal,_ she tried to convince herself, but there was something in that look that . . .

A translucent figure caught the corner of her eye as she brushed hair back from her face. It wasn't Madeleine, but some other poor soul. She turned to look fully at him, still fascinated with her ability to see the departed. It wasn't until Reiko asked her a question that she realized she'd been staring at an empty corner for almost a minute.

"What was that? Sorry—I spaced off."

Reiko's mouth curved into a maternal smile. "You can see them, can't you? The spirits around here?"

"Wha—? You can too?" Kiria leaned forward eagerly, wanting to know more information.

Reiko shook her head. "No, not me. I have a friend who can see them as well. I think you should go see her as soon as you have a minute; it shouldn't take long. She can help you." She slid a business card inconspicuously under the tiny gap in the glass. "Now, if you don't mind, Nomura-san? I'm quite tired. A woman doesn't sleep well in prison, you know." She rose from her chair before Kiria could respond. "Guard, please?" She exited the room a moment later, leaving Kiria staring at the business card that had been smuggled across the guarded line.

_'Kassandra Malacross, paranormal expert.' Sounds kind of sketchy to me, but if it can tell me something . . . in any case, I have a lead with Christopher Hamarch. This case comes before this Kassandra Malacross, and anything she can tell me about my power. Maybe I'll call Maya on the way to the Precinct and see how Phoenix is doing._ Kiria got up from the chair, exited the room, and left her number with the clerk at the front desk in case Ava Kutsch got done with questioning while she was gone. Then she was finding directions to the nearby Police Station to have a chat with the Chief of Police.

* * *

"_Hello?_"

"Maya!"

_"Oh! Kiria! Good thing you called; you should come over!"_

"Sorry Maya, but I'm still on the clock with a case that is ending tomorrow with an unknown epilogue."

_"Oh."_ She sounded crestfallen for a second, but she was immediately upbeat again. _"You want some help with that?"_

"What?"

_"You want a hand in your case? I'm dying to get out."_

"B—But I thought you were helping out Phoenix . . . isn't he—"

"_—Nick's mom showed up this morning. She's a really nice lady; she calls me "sweetie" and everything. So, if you need some help, I can probably leave babying Nick and Trucy to her and help out with some good ol' investigation!"_ She seemed much more thrilled with that idea than staying in the apartment any more.

"Sure. If you want to help, I'd love a hand. Besides, you can meet my friend from the University. I don't have the time to come pick you up, but if you know where the Precinct is, you can meet me there."

_"Ooh, are we visiting Detective Gumshoe? You know, I asked to see his office once, and he took me outside of the room to where this cruddy little computer was all by its lonesome and said that was it. I bet that he's lying though. I bet he's got a secret lair inside the Precinct somewhere that he hides all of his nifty gadgets."_

Kiria racked her brain for any hint Gumshoe had ever given her about having "nifty gadgets." When she came up blank, she didn't feel too bad. "Close, but no cigar. We've got to find out where Detective Christopher Hamarch is located, so we can chat him up."

_"You'd better fill me in when I get there."_

"You know I will. And I want to know how Phoenix is doing as well. So, meet you at the Precinct in ten?"

_"Gotcha. Just gotta sneak away. You know, Nick has absolutely no sense of humor when he's sulking."_

She grinned. "At least leave a note so that he doesn't have a heart attack. See you there, Maya." She hung up the phone and picked up the pace. If she was going to make it there before Maya, she was going to have to hurry. Besides, this case waited for no one, least of all a Defense Attorney.

* * *

**A/N: Soooo late. Again, so sorry. I'm learning to map out the cases so that I know how every piece of evidence was used. c: Anyone got an idea of how Madeleine was killed yet? Update on Nick next chapter, since one was requested. But I figured we were done with Kiria's inner monologue for now; I'll save it for a chapter that needs it.**

**Read and review? c:**


	14. Turnabout International:Investigation 3a

**Chapter Thirteen :: Turnabout International :: Investigation :: Day 3 :: Part 1**

An excited Maya was waiting for her in front of the Police Station, topknot practically bouncing on the top of her head. "Aha! There you are! So, fill me in on the case! Who died? How? And where's that friend of yours? I thought he was going to be here; I was all excited!"

"Whoa, calm down, Maya. One question at a time; I'm a tired, overworked attorney. Nathan's at the scene. I'm sure we'll meet up later. How's Phoenix?"

Maya's face fell. "Not much better than the last time you came over. You'd think that having his mom there would have cheered him up—I know that seeing mine would have cheered _me_ up—but he's still moping around like it's that first night. There are definitely dark skies in the apartment of Nick Wright. Even Trucy's under the weather."

"Remind me who Trucy is again?"

"The client's daughter. Trucy Enigmar, the magician's kid?"

"Ah, right. I seem to remember now." She paused, contemplating to bring up an idea that she'd had last night. "Hey, Maya? I've been thinking that we could try to overturn the decision in court."

"You mean an appeal?"

"Yeah. I thought about it a lot last night. We might have a chance. I meant to ask Edgeworth about it this morning, but I was more concerned with the upcoming trial."

Maya thought about it for a minute. "Do you think we can do it? We don't really have any evidence that he didn't do it."

"No, but we have character witnesses."

"Character witnesses? What are those?"

Kiria ran a hand through her hair. "They testify as to the character of the accused. If we can find some good, solid evidence, we might be able to overturn the decision with one piece and a few character witnesses."

"Where are we going to find evidence? The trail is already two days cold. Besides, I don't think Nick can handle it if we don't get it. He already torched his suit."

"He did _what_?" Kiria jumped, alarmed. She hadn't realized it was that bad. "Why'd you let him do that?"

"I didn't see him doing it. I was in the other room, trying to cheer Trucy up, and then the fire alarm started going off. We got away with a hole in the carpet, but the suit is beyond repair." She sighed, but immediately bounced back. Maya was a resilient soul, just like Kiria herself. "So, let's talk about the case. What's going on?"

Kiria nodded. "The case. You actually came in at the right time—we just found out our whole timeline for the case was wrong."

"So, what happened?"

"Someone was killed in the International Attorney's Office. The problem is that the body was unidentifiable. We _officially_ have no idea who the victim is. However, I've been seeing the victim's spirit in the Case File Room, and I know that it's Madeleine Hamarch, daughter of the detective we're seeking out. My client told me that I could find him here."

Maya's smile lit up. "Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's get in there and find our detective!"

* * *

"Excuse me? We're looking for Christopher Hamarch—is he here?"

The aide looked irritated as he peered over the desk. "Seventh floor, Chief of Police. Third door on the left."

"Thanks . . ." Her voice faded at the brusqueness in the aide. "Let's get going," she told Maya, a light hand on the spirit medium's elbow.

They rode the elevator up to the seventh floor. "Have you seen Edgeworth in an elevator yet?" Maya asked in curiosity.

"No, why?"

"Just wondering." She had a mischevious smile on her face as the elevator stopped.

"There's got to be a reason why you asked," Kiria insisted as they stepped out. "Come on, tell me!"

Maya batted her eyelashes. "You'll just have to find out on your own, huh?"

Kiria rolled her eyes and knocked on the door frame of the Chief of Police's office. "Excuse me?"

"Ah! Ms. Nomura! You're fairly famous around here with that case you're working on," he reassured her when she looked confused. The twinkle in his eye didn't fade, even when he turned back to business. "What can I do for you?"

"We're looking for Christopher Hamarch—we were told we could find him here."

She hadn't even finished speaking before he started shaking his head sadly. "No, you're not going to find Chris here. He's going through a hard time right now; his daughter disappeared a few days ago, and the case isn't offering up many leads. He's a wreck."

"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important, but . . ." Kiria inhaled a deep breath, hoping that Maya didn't decide to intervene here. She let it out when the spirit medium stayed silent. "I need to talk to him about this case. Quite a few leads have led back to him. Do you know where I can find him?"

The man looked uncomfortable for a second, swiveling around in his chair as he pondered her request. His heavily-set eyebrows knotted together as he brought a pencil to his lips, tapping it against the bottom lip absentmindedly. Kiria found herself holding her breath again. How could he refuse her request?

"And this is about the case?" he finally asked. She nodded. "Alright, I'll give you his address, but no promises that he'll be there. As I said, he's a wreck. Probably at the nearby bar, if I know Chris." He scribbled down an address on a piece of paper. "There you go. Give him my regards. And . . . be gentle. Chris is a good guy. We've known each other for a long time now."

Kiria nodded, accepting the paper that was handed to her. "Thank you, sir. I'd like to say that we can solve a father's worry, but . . ." her voice trailed off as she looked down.

He only nodded, dismissing them from his office.

* * *

They hadn't taken three steps from the Precinct when Kiria's phone rang. "Impeccable timing," she commended. "What have you found?"

Nathan's voice crackled over the speaker. He sounded like he was in a tunnel, by the reception he was getting. _"They're releasing the victim's belongings to us, in case we manage to find out who it is by dumb luck. You might want to come get something."_

"Perfect. We're going to go see Christopher Hamarch now. Maybe he can recognize something of the victim's." She'd been keeping her belief of Madeleine Hamarch as the victim a thinly-disguised secret from Nathan, and he hadn't asked. "Where are you going now?"

_"Back to the Case File Room. Gumshoe mentioned something about bloody files that you found in the trash can."_

She'd forgotten that he hadn't been there for that. "Yeah. Sorry about that; I didn't think it was important enough to share yet."

He chuckled, and the line erupted in static. _"Not a problem. Have you heard from Edgeworth yet?"_

"Nope, not at all. Where are you?" she finally asked, getting tired of having to strain to hear him.

He chuckled. _"Sorry, I'm in the ME office still. Service is crappy in here."_

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I'm going to go pick up some evidence and then chat with Christopher Hamarch. Meet you in the Case File Room when I run out of leads."

_"Yep. Any news on Ava Kutsch?"_

"None. They're going to call me when she gets out of questioning. I'll call you and we'll question her together, deal?"

_"Deal. See you soon."_

She hung up, glancing over at Maya. "We've got to take a bit of a detour—just don't lose that piece of paper."

Maya clutched it so hard in response that her knuckles turned white. "Don't worry! All evidence is safe with me!"

* * *

"So, what to bring with us . . . ?" Kiria pondered, looking over the box of belongings. Maya peered over her shoulder, seemingly as confused as Kiria.

"And one of these things is supposed to help identify the victim?" she asked skeptically.

Kiria nodded, pushing some of the plastic bags around to see the smaller items on the bottom.

Everything was bagged and tagged, sitting in a cardboard box like someone's unsold items from a garage sale. Clothing was vacuum-wrapped, having been analyzed by the lab. The purse had been emptied and all of the contents in separate bags. Even the lipstick tube looked like it had been tested on.

It was sickening, just how much everything was deconstructed. Madeleine Hamarch had once been a person, but now she'd been stripped of all of her possessions, bagged and tested on, and was still unidentified. It was harrowing and disturbing. They had done all this, and they still couldn't figure out who it was who died?

"Hey, what's this?" Maya asked, shaking Kiria from her anger. There was something shiny in the bottom of the box, and they both attempted to clear the pile of bags in order to see it. Finally, Maya's hand closed around it, and they studied it carefully.

"I think that it's a brooch. I've never seen one like that, though." Kiria's fingers ran over the textured surface, and she wanted to feel it beyond the plastic bag.

A fleur-de-lis was engraved in the gold surface, crusted in either real diamonds or cubic zirconium; she couldn't tell which. Intricate lines of gems dotted the remaining surface, creating a breathtaking effect. Whether the crystals were real or not, it had to be one expensive piece of jewelry.

"Do you think people would recognize this?" Maya asked, still staring at it with wide eyes.

Kiria chuckled. "It makes quite an impact. Let's take it with us," she said. Christopher Hamarch had to recognize this.

* * *

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" Maya finally asked, looking at the house they'd just walked up to.

The Defense Attorney frowned. "He's a single dad on a Detective's budget. He's not going to live in a mansion, Maya."

"I know . . . I just wasn't expecting this."

"Neither was I." The house was falling apart, literally. The gutter looked like it had been in an unfortunate accident, and hung down almost flush with her face. Three of the windows had cracks in them, the door looked like it had been struck by an axe a few times, and she wouldn't have sat on the rickety bench with three legs next to the door if her life depended on it. "Maybe it's just . . . normal?" she suggested, unable to hide her grimace.

"Geez, I hope not. I wouldn't live in this."

Kiria decided not to tell her that she wouldn't either. "You ready for this?" she asked the spirit medium. She'd never told a father that his daughter was dead. She'd never told _anyone_ that someone they knew was dead.

Maya caught on immediately. "What do we do? Just say it straight out? Shove the brooch in his face?"

"I don't think either of those is necessarily kind. I just don't know what we _should_ do."

"Well, we've got to do something. We can't just stand outside his door and hope he hears us," Maya said.

Kiria stepped up to the doorstep. "We'll wing it. Hopefully we're not too . . . harsh." She looked between the door and the doorbell, wondering if either of them would work. The doorbell looked like it hadn't been used in ten years, and she was afraid if she knocked on the door, it would fall from the hinges. After a few long moments of glancing between them and weighing the positives and negatives, she decided on the door.

"Hello? Mr. Hamarch? Please, we need your help on a case!"

The silence that greeted her resonated in her ears. She banged on the door, no longer worried about breaking it down. She didn't have _time_ for this! "Mr. Hamarch! Christopher Hamarch! We're here in regards to your daughter's disappearance!" She'd thrown the last part out in desperation, but it seemed like it was that part that had roused the grieving man to answer the door.

The door gave a horrible squeal as it opened, revealing a man who looked like he hadn't closed his eyes in the last week. "My daughter's disappearance doesn't have a case." He made to shut the door again, but Maya put herself between it and the jamb. "What do you _want_?" His voice was pure ice—strong enough to sink the Titanic and cold enough to freeze helium.

"At least talk with us. We think we found your daughter while trying to solve our case." Kiria wanted to match his intensity, at least to convince him to listen to them, but she found her performance to be flat. He was fueled by his concern for his daughter. She was only motivated by the need to solve the case.

His face twitched. "You found my daughter?"

Maya held the brooch between her slender fingers wordlessly.

"Where is she?" His body was seemingly possessed. He seized Maya's shoulders and shook her. "Where is my daughter?" Despite the frightening depression that had seized him, there was undoubtedly relief spreading across his face.

She wanted to give him good news. She really did. But she couldn't change Madeleine's fate. "You . . . might want to sit down."

His hands dropped, catching onto exactly what she meant. He was a detective; he'd probably said the same six words to other families. "No . . ."

Kiria could see despair dance across his face, Madeleine's smiling face flash in his eyes. She could hear the breath that he sucked in and expelled, see the redness invade the whites of his eyes like a virus spreading across a diseased body. He started murmuring her name, rocking back and forth like she was a child in his arms. Finally, his knees collapsed and he cried to the heavens. He'd never loved anyone like he'd loved that child. She'd been torn from his bosom too early, so early, at the tender age of eighteen. He'd never see her graduate from High School, never take pictures of her and her boyfriend before her Prom.

"NO!" He punched the wall, tears leaking from his eyes. Maya and Kiria could only watch. There was no way that either of them could understand the loss that he felt. They just held hands and held back their own tears at his grief.

Finally, he recovered from his emotional outburst. "She . . . was she . . . murdered?" He spit out the word.

"Yes."

"That goddamned, motherfucking . . ." Anger choked him up so that he couldn't finish his sentence. "To murder a child?"

"I'll guess that you haven't been watching the news, then," Kiria finally said, deciding that it was time to get down to business. The case that we've been investigating is a murder in the International Attorney Office. Your daughter was . . . her body was destroyed enough to be unidentifiable. Can I ask when was the last time you saw her?"

His face twisted with rage. "She got off of school at three-thirty. I already checked with her teachers, and she was in her classes until then. After that, I don't know." He shook his head at his own loss. "I don't know."

"That's very helpful. Thank you so much." There was a two-hour period that the murder could have been committed. "I wanted to ask you about Reiko Horiyama, but you . . . don't look up to it. I don't think it's relevant anyways. Your daughter's . . . um . . . everything that was found is in the Medical Examiner's Office. I'll leave you to . . . I'm so sorry for your loss."

"Just . . . go." Unceremoneously, he staggered back into his house and slammed the door behind him. They stared at the door for long minutes before Maya finally tugged on Kiria's sleeve.

"I think that could have gone better."

Kiria shook her head. "He's grieving so much. It's so . . . awful."

"Hopefully we never have to do that again."

"Hopefully we're never on the receiving end of that either." With another sigh, they turned away from the house. They had to get back to the case at hand.

* * *

The dial tone rang twice before Nathan finally answered his phone. By that point, they were already back to the Medical Examiner's Office, meaning to toss the brooch back into the cardboard box.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey. I just went to see Christopher Hamarch."

_"Good news?"_

"And bad. The bad is that I just had to tell my first person how sorry I was for their loss. The good is that we have a confirmed victim and a narrowed timeline."

_"Talk about a rockstar! You've been busy. Lay it on me."_

Kiria couldn't help the smile that was creeping onto her face. "The victim is Madeleine Hamarch, Christopher Hamarch's only daughter."

_"You keep saying Christopher Hamarch, and the name sounds familiar, but I can't place it. Where do I know him from?"_

"He's a Detective in the Criminal Affairs Department. Pretty renowned too, from what I gather."

_"Okay, so we have a famous detective's daughter. How does she tie into everything?"_

"No clue. Want more good news?"

_"You bet I do."_

"Madeleine was at school until three-thirty. That almost depletes our timeline to—"

_"—two hours? Nice work."_

"Thank you very much." Kiria chuckled into the phone at his stunned tone. "Did you find anything?"

He sounded offended. _"Of course I did! I haven't been sitting on my ass over here, you know. I've also got the low-down from Edgeworth. You're not going to like any of it."_

"Great. What now?"

_"He was looking into Reiko Horiyama and Ava Kutsch's files, remember? Neither one officially exists. No Social Security Number, no credit card or phone records, and no parking tickets for the last fifty years."_

"They're aliases?"

_"Exactly. What we do have is trial data. Both of their earliest trials start about five years ago."_

"So they picked up the identities five years ago."

_"Right."_

Kiria cursed under her breath in Japanese. "Files have pictures though, right? Do their faces match the pictures?"

_"Edgeworth didn't say anything to the contrary, so I'd assume so."_

"Great. Anything else you want to drop on my lap while we're at it?"

He chuckled. _"I think I might have found the murder weapon, and again, you're not going to like it."_

"Hey, my luck can't get much worse today."

_"I was looking over those case files in blood you and Gumshoe found yesterday? They were all MX cases. So I looked in the box? The most recent one was MX-26, which had Reiko Horiyama as the Defense."_

"So?"

_"Well, there's a small evidence safe in here right next to the file, and there's blood all over the bottom of it. I'm going to guess that this was the murder weapon. It's got a ninety-degree angle on it, just like the ME suggested. I'll bring it by the Office and see if he can't confirm it."_

Kiria thought about it for a second. "I don't know that it's necessarily bad evidence for my case. It's not really decisive evidence."

_"Agreed. But, hey. Anything helps, right?"_

"I'm going to drop by Edgeworth's office. I want to see Ava and Reiko's files for myself and see if I can't get a copy. You need anything while I'm over there?"

_"Nope. Don't work yourself too hard."_

"Same to you." She turned to Maya, who was taking the brooch out of her bag. "Keep that for now. We'll return it later if we need to." Her attention went back to her phone call. "Keep me updated."

_"You bet."_

She hung up. "You want to go see Edgeworth?" she asked her teenage sidekick. Maya grinned widely in response.

* * *

She rapped quietly on the door, and again, Kay peered out at her from behind it. This time, however, there was no prevention to keep her from coming in. Instead, the door was thrown wide open. "Oh, hey! It's you again! The Attorney from yesterday!"

"Glad to see that the Yatagarasu is keeping danger at bay," Kiria remarked as she entered. Maya followed with a hearty, "Hi, Mr. Edgeworth!".

Edgeworth suppressed a grin. "Ah, yes. Stealing the truth and protecting Public Prosecutors from the evils that might arise from outside of his office door."

Kay looked offended. "Hel-_lo_! I have to keep Steel Samurai fans out! After all, everyone knows that the Jammin' Ninja's so much better!"

"No way! The Steel Samurai fights for justice! The Jammin' Ninja just sings for justice," Maya protested.

"But the Jammin' Ninja fights for love! He fights for Princess Okamura to be safe!"

Kiria rolled her eyes. Edgeworth cleared his throat. Unfortunately, that just spurred the heated debate on further.

"Come on, Mr. Edgeworth! Who's better? The Steel Samurai, Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo? Or the Jammin' Ninja?" Maya demanded.

Edgeworth looked very uncomfortable at the question. "I—I believe that the Steel Samurai might outshine the Jammin' Ninja by a small amount."

Kay rounded on Kiria. "Come on! You've got to think that the Jammin' Ninja's cooler!"

Kiria stuck her hands up in surrender. "I'm a Pink Princess kind of girl," she compromised.

"If we can get back to the situation at hand?" Edgeworth interrupted. "I'm assuming you came in here not to fight with my resident assistant, but to ask a question?"

Kiria nodded. "I want to see those case files. The ones of Ava Kutsch and Reiko Horiyama."

He flopped them out onto the desk. "I took the liberty of making you copies. I thought you might come in here demanding them." He grinned when she rolled her eyes at his word choice.

"Oh, I'll show you demanding, Edgeworth," she threatened, but seated herself opposite him and began to look over the files.

He was right. The only data they had was trial data. It wasn't until a name caught her eye that she began to make connections.

"Wait a second. I've seen this name in someone else's file." She pulled her bag onto her lap and dug around for the Hamarch files. "Aha! The last case that Evangeline had was prosecuting Dwayne Rockweiler. The first case that Ava Kutsch defends is . . . Dwayne Rockweiler."

"Do you think there's a connection there?"

"There's got to be. Someone in this case is Evangeline Illane. When we find her, we'll find Madeleine's murderer."

His mouth quirked up at the corners. "So, you got it all cemented? The victim?"

"Of course. Madeleine Hamarch. Excuse me for a second," she said as her phone began to ring. "Hello?"

_"You requested that you be called when Ava Kutsch was released from questioning?"_

"Yes. Is she out?"

_"Yes."_

"Don't let anyone else talk to her before I get there. Place her in solitary confinement or something until I arrive." She hung up, and looked at Edgeworth. "I hate to cut our time short, but Ava Kutsch is out of questioning, and there's a lot of questions that I still need her to answer."

"Hurry, then. We'll talk about this later," he said.

Kay frowned as Maya and Kiria hustled out of the office. "And we'll settle the matter between the Steel Samurai and the Jammin' Ninja once and for all!" she called after them.

* * *

**A/N: Another chapter up! Much quicker this time, huh? There should be one more Investigation chapter, and then we'll be wrapping the trial up.**

**Obviously, most of you have probably realized that this fic is undergoing some changes, like a new name (how does everyone like it?) and some major editing. You can reread the first chapter, which has been updated for cohesiveness with the later chapters. The biggest change is that this will turn into a seven-part fanfiction series. So, hopefully, you go along with the ride. I can't wait to hear from all of you!**

**Read and Review!**


	15. Turnabout International:Investigation 3b

**Chapter Fourteen :: Turnabout International :: Investigation :: Day 3 :: Part 2 [Final]**

"Kiria Nomura, the shining new face of justice. I've been expecting you to show up soon." Ava Kutsch looked at the younger Defense Attorney through half-closed lids, her demeanor calm and composed. "You're quite popular around here, you know. You have the inmates talking. Quite impressive."

Kiria frowned, trying not to let Ava see the fear that was making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. There had been a veiled threat in her words, and Kiria wasn't stupid enough to miss it. Instead, she leaned forward, trying to intimidate the incarcerated Attorney. "What is going on? The day after you're supposedly murdered, you show up in a hospital bed awaiting facial reconstruction under the name Nina Pollock?"

"It seems a little fishy, to tell the truth," Nathan volunteered, standing behind his partner. His normal humor was gone, and replaced with a deadly seriousness. He was determined to find out the truth behind what had happened to Madeleine Hamarch, and Ava Kutsch obviously knew something that they didn't.

Ava didn't seem to be bothered with their words. "A little fishy, sure, but coincidental. How can you prove I knew that I'd been 'murdered' as you say I was?"

"Because you'd called a meeting just earlier, and then disappeared?"

"I did nothing of the sort. No meetings, and no disappearing acts."

Her nonchalant attitude made Nathan's temper flare. "Are you trying to tell me that you were changing your identity for absolutely no reason whatsoever?"

"Uh huh. Just wanted a change."

Damn. They'd have to hit hard and fast if they wanted to faze her. She obviously wasn't giving up any information without doing so. Kiria contemplated what to say next. Should she jump to conclusions and risk infuriating the woman? Or continue to play around, hoping she might give them an opening?

"Miss Kutsch? I know that you're Evangeline Illane."

Oh, she'd done it alright. A look of surprise hit the woman's face, and then a wide grin as she began to laugh. And laugh and laugh and laugh. Finally, when she'd composed herself again, a spark of deadly fire coursed through her eyes as she looked at the duo on the other side of the glass. "So. You know about Evangeline."

Nathan didn't have a clue what either of them was talking about. But Kiria seized the opportunity as it floated into her grasp. "I know that she faked her death in a car crash five years ago. I know that she killed her daughter two days ago. And I know that you, Ava Kutsch, arose five years ago in a case defending Dwayne Rockweiler two weeks after Evangeline's mysterious death."

"Ah, so you don't know all of it. Very good guess though, very good." She paused, almost flirtatious in the way she revealed small bits and then refused to say more. "But you don't know why. And you don't know how I fit in yet either." She wrapped a strand of hair around her finger and stared at the girl. "But I know. I know everything there is to know about Evangeline Illane. Almost as much . . . as Evangeline herself."

Kiria twitched. "You mean that you're not Evangeline Illane? But then—"

"—who am I? Oh, Miss Nomura. This was a cruel case to bring you in. To stand at Evangeline's last appeal without the knowledge to understand the gravity of the situation . . . I suppose you'll need help. You and your friend as well." She nodded at Nathan, who was watching their interaction with the unmistakable expression of confusion. "Him more than you, it looks like."

"He doesn't know anything," she admitted. "There's been no evidence to back up Evangeline's involvement in the case."

"Then how do you know?" Ava asked.

Kiria looked down. "I heard it from a friend. She . . . told it to me."

Understanding dawned immediately on Ava's face. "Ah, you'd have found out soon anyways, my dear. Even without Madeleine's death, she would have come after you sooner or later."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's start at the beginning, so your friend can understand as well," Ava said. "First off, I think introductions are in order. My name is not Ava Kutsch, and I'm not a German Defense Attorney. My name is Natalya Ilyinichna Korovina, and I am a Russian Interpol Agent. I have been in the United States for seven years now, as a woman on the case of a paranormal group with no name. We call them '_Kronos_', for lack of a better name."

"What do they do?"

Ava—no, Natalya—smiled. "They look for people who do exactly what you do, Miss Nomura. They see things they should not. Spirits who should be in the land of the dead."

"B—But why? Why does it matter what they see?"

"Because these people have the potential to do even more." Natalya's eyes darkened. "These people, if trained enough, have been rumored to be able to change the past. It's been said that they can alter the future by traveling to the past and making a change. It's an instantaneous fix that doesn't enact until the present."

Nathan's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "What does time traveling have to do with seeing spirits? I don't see the connection."

"I don't know the mechanics behind it. I don't know if it's even true. I've never seen anyone do it before. All I know is that _Kronos_ is after the best of the best, and they don't stop until they've got them."

"Okay, so what does that have to do with Evangeline Illane?" Kiria felt like a stone was sitting in her stomach at this news. Luckily, she was nowhere near the best of the best, and hopefully never would be.

"Evangeline Illane was—and still is—a member of _Kronos_. She's one of the higher-ups, one of the bosses, but she does the most hands-on work out of the three leaders. She was a Prosecutor of renown, and was notorious for getting the other members of _Kronos_ out of their sticky situations without so much as speaking to the Defense Attorneys."

"Forged evidence?" Nathan guessed.

"Exactly. There was never any proof, of course, but when she lost, it was easy to tell. The best Attorneys were almost immediately disbarred after the trials for presenting falsified evidence. She was a force to be reckoned with.

"So, we fought fire with fire. We couldn't stop her in the courtroom, but if we could get a man on the inside, maybe he could help us arrest her. And we found the best man there was. A certain detective that you should know by now."

"Christopher Hamarch," Kiria murmured. Of course. What better way to get to the facts than by a wedding?

"Right. Their marriage lasted two years, and Chris found us out some very interesting stuff. Little did we know, Evangeline was looking into us, just as we were looking into her. It was a case that eventually blew his cover—the first case against Dwayne Rockweiler. Dwayne was one of our guys, and Evangeline had him in her grasps. He was invaluable, even more so than Chris. So, Chris testified as an Interpol agent. The next day, Evangeline had her mysterious car accident."

Kiria was trying to add up everything, but it wasn't working so well. "But then what about Madeleine? She would have been thirteen at the time of Evangeline's death; much too old to have been a product of their marriage."

"Madeleine was a foster child that Chris had adopted when she was little. Wherever he went, she came, marriage or not. Lucky for us, Evangeline had always wanted a daughter, and Madeleine warmed right up to her."

"What happened after that? That was five years ago, right? Don't tell me you've been searching around in the dark for the last five years," Nathan said.

"Oh, no. I had the idea that Evangeline would stay inside of the legal system; we didn't think they had anyone else in there. I became an attorney in case I was right. Surprise; the forged evidence never stopped. This time we traced it into the International Attorney Office. So, I became a Defense Attorney to keep up. That was when I took on the persona of Ava Kutsch, the German Defense Attorney. I had my face reconstructed with the most cutting edge technology. No one ever guessed. Not until you came along, anyways." Natalya nodded her head at Kiria. "I'm impressed."

"It was pure luck."

"Pure luck or not, you did what _Kronos_ has been unable to do for the last five years. They knew we had someone in there too, and Lawyers kept disappearing. They never suspected me, though, especially not when I became Lead Attorney for the Office. Meanwhile, I kept waiting for Evangeline to slip up. And she finally did."

"You know who Evangeline Illane is?" Kiria and Nathan both leaned even farther forward, intrigue written across their faces.

"No. It just so happened that when Evangeline slipped, so did I. I went into the Case File Room right after Madeleine's murder. Oh god, I was heartbroken. I'd known the girl for so long that I thought of her almost as my own child. To see her dead, lying there . . . it was so hard. But I couldn't let _Kronos_ know that Evangeline had screwed up. I called the police, and then I mutilated her body so that it was impossible to tell who the victim was.

"That was when she saw me. There was gunfire, and when I'd turned, I knew she'd seen my face. I called Interpol, and Dwayne got me out of there. We had to get my face reconstructed again, so that she wouldn't know me. I didn't realize that no one would find Madeleine until almost four hours later."

A silence fell over the group, Natalya's face contorted in pain, and Nathan and Kiria's faces deep in thought. Finally, Nathan had to ask. "What did you use on Madeleine?"

Natalya pressed her lips together. "It was a cane. Reiko Horiyama always left one at the office. I knew that I was implicating her, but she was a strong woman who would get out of the chargest easily."

"And that's why the cane lights up when subjected to Luminol testing," Nathan murmured.

Kiria looked at him. "It does?"

"Yeah. It was the last thing I checked before coming here. There's definitely blood residue on that cane."

The air was thick with Natalya's confession. Finally, Kiria rose from her seat. "I've got to check on Maya," she said, turning on her heel and walking to the door.

"Nomura?"

Kiria turned to face the woman. "Be careful who you tell. It's written all over your face whenever someone mentions it. _Kronos_ will have you in no time if you decide to talk to the wrong person."

"I'll . . . remember that." With a heavy sigh, she exited the room to join her assistant on the case.

* * *

"Anything?" Maya asked hopefully as Kiria entered. She hadn't been allowed in due to the amount of visitors permitted in the room, and now she'd need caught up on everything.

On the other hand, Kiria felt exhausted. This case wasn't leading to anything solid. There was no way they could find Evangeline Illane before the trial tomorrow morning. It was hopeless. However, Natalya had admitted that Reiko Horiyama hadn't done it, so her client was safe. She'd covered her bases. She'd completed her duty to her client.

Then why was she so _scared_?

Kiria plopped down on the seat beside Maya and rested her head in her hands. "Yeah. Reiko didn't do it, but neither did Ava."

"How? I thought that one of them had to be the killer."

"We didn't realize that Ava Kutsch was secretly an Interpol agent who just so happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Then the facial reconstruction thing was—"

"—authorized, yeah. _What do we have wrong?"_ she asked herself in Japanese. They'd had two suspects, and now they had none again.

"And what about the other one? Your client?"

"Reiko? Natalya—Ava Kutsch—admitted to implicating her." She rubbed her eyes in her fatigue. "On the other hand, we found out that Christopher Hamarch is also Interpol."

"So, why don't we talk with him then? Maybe we can figure something else out if we talk with him more."

"I doubt that he'll continue to talk with us. We didn't exactly thrill him last time." She leaned back and sighed, still racking her brain for anything she'd missed. She couldn't think of anything. She'd just have to wait for Nathan to finish his interrogation and see if he hadn't found a hole in their case.

He came out of the room around five minutes later, looking disturbed. "Why'd I agree to take this case? It started with an unidentified victim and ends with a major paranormal crime ring."

"Not a pretty first case, that's for sure. You were kind of crazy for taking it to begin with." He sat next to her, and she rubbed his shoulder sympathetically. "Maya, this is Nathan, my friend from college. Nate, this is Maya. She's a spirit medium."

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, seeing as what I just heard in there. Spirit mediums are tame compared to what we just heard in there." He shook his head, but offered a smile to her. "Nice to meet you, Maya. I'm _Nathaniel_ Price," he stressed, pausing to give his best friend a dirty look, "Prosecutor extraordinaire."

"Nice to meet you too." Maya was silent for a second, but then a mischevious smile broke onto her face. "So, any embarrassing stories you wanna tell me about Kiria in college?"

"Maya!" Kiria elbowed the spirit medium. Her eyes floated back to Nathan, who looked like he was about to answer. "You say a word, and I swear, I'll tell her about Cancun," she threatened.

Nathan turned slightly pink and shut his mouth.

"So, what are we going to do about this case?" Maya asked, getting right down to business.

Nathan grinned. "Is there anything more to do? We have _nothing_. No clues, no suspects. Just a woman who claims to be Interpol and three names."

"Evangeline Illane, a leader of the paranormal crime group _Kronos_, Christopher Hamarch, her ex-husband, and who else?" Kiria named off, putting her fingers up as she said the names.

"Dwayne Rockweiler, remember? He helped Natalya escape that day."

Inspiration flickered across her face, and she realized that the case wasn't over yet. "Someone needs to talk with this Dwayne Rockweiler, and someone else, with Christopher Hamarch. We don't know what we're supposed to be looking for when we look for Evangeline Illane. Maybe they can tell us."

"What about your spirit?" Maya asked. "Madeleine?"

Kiria nodded. "We'll talk to her right afterwards. I'd like to have a chat with Dwayne Rockweiler, if that's okay with you, Nate. We chatted with Christopher Hamarch earlier, and let's just say he won't be overly happy to see us again."

"Fine by me. Means you have to track him down. According to Natalya, he's a forensic scientist. You can probably find him in the ME's office, to tell the truth. They've been doing chemical experiments there all day."

Kiria found the scrap of paper the Chief of Police had given to her earlier and handed it to Nathan. "Here's his address."

"Thanks. Good luck finding Rockweiler."

"Good luck with Hamarch."

* * *

They went their separate ways almost immediately, Kiria and Maya deciding to take Nathan up on his suggestion about the Medical Examiner's Office. When they got there, however, they received a skeptical look and flabbergasted "Dwayne? He hasn't been into work for about three days now!" Kiria sighed and began to dial Edgeworth's number to get the information off of his case file before a young woman cut her off.

"I can tell you where he lives, if you want. To tell the truth, I've been kind of worried about him, but with this case I haven't had the time to check on him." The woman gave them directions before sighing again. "I just want to know that he's okay. Tell him I—Tess—I miss him."

Maya promised cheerfully that she'd pass along the message, and they were off again. "Wonder who Tess is to him?" she questioned as they walked down the street together.

"Not a clue. I'd guess someone dear to him, if she's passing her name along with the message." Kiria pulled her bag closer to her as the wind began to whip around them. "Either way, I hope she gave us the right directions. This isn't exactly the best part of town to be in."

"Sketchy is more like it. Seriously, I almost expect a drug dealer to jump out from around the next corner!" She laughed at her own joke as Kiria rolled her eyes. "What's up with these guys living in the dumpiest places ever?"

Kiria shrugged. "Maybe it's part of being an Interpol agent? I think it's that house on the corner over there."

"I think so too. After all, we followed her instructions. Go east two blocks, south two, and it's the third house after Albright Street. I'm counting one, two, three." She pointed at the house in excitement.

As they approached the house, it became startlingly obvious that Dwayne Rockweiler was not there. The door was wide open. The house had been ransacked. Books were strewn across the hardwood flooring, the bookcases flipped, the couch upside down.

"Think it's even worth it to go inside?" Kiria murmured to Maya as they eyed the turmoil.

The spirit medium shook her head. "I doubt it. He's either not here or he's in here dead."

"Maya!"

"What? It's true. You look in there and say someone could be alive. There's not even a mouse alive in there."

Kiria couldn't argue. It was so still, the calm after the storm. No movement. No life.

"You're right. There's no one there." She shook her head. So much for Tess's request. "I guess we don't have much more to do than to have a chat with Madeleine. You want to meet my favorite spirit?"

* * *

"Madeleine? We're back!"

The girl seemed to come out of thin air, stepping out from a wall of boxes. "I thought you'd never come back. Your friend has been here quite a bit today."

"He said that he found an evidence safe; did you happen to see him find it? I'd rather not search through all of these boxes." Kiria wilted at the thought of looking at the fifty or so boxes on the shelves.

Madeleine pointed to one near the bottom of the far wall. Kiria turned to look through the box, rifling through it as quickly as possible. Maya, on the other hand, was looking around like she was trying to see something. Finally, she piped up. "Kiria? Where is she?"

"What do you mean? Madeleine? She's right in front of you." Kiria turned to make sure, and indeed, Madeleine was maybe three steps away from the spirit medium.

Maya's lower lip slipped from beneath the top in confusion. "That's weird. I don't see anything. I can hear her . . . but I can't see her."

"You can hear me?" Madeleine asked, surprise coloring her tone.

Maya nodded. "Of course! You're Madeleine, right?" She waved her hand, still looking around for some hint of where the ghost girl was.

"Yeah . . . I am. Who . . .?"

"I'm Maya Fey, Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique. I'm with Kiria, no worries. Right?" She looked back at the attorney for reassurance.

Kiria nodded absently. Her fingers alighted upon the small box that Nathan had hinted to as the murder weapon. It was pretty heavy, for as small as it was. And, as he'd said, there was blood marking the bottom right-hand corner. She took a picture of it with her phone before turning back to the two behind her. "Do you mind if we chat for a second?"

Madeleine nodded. "Of course. What can I answer for you?"

"Do you remember anything about before you died?"

"Um . . ." Madeleine thought for a second. "We talked about things. Lots of things."

"Was there anything that made you question what she was asking?"

"Not really. She asked how Dad was and whether he was taking on certain cases. She asked me what I was doing in school . . . oh yeah, there was one question. She asked how my eyesight was."

"How your eyesight was?"

"Yeah. She asked whether I was seeing people where there were none. When I said no, she just shrugged and said that she thought I might have inherited my father's paranoia."

Maya hissed. "You think. . . ?"

"Oh yeah." There was no doubt that Evangeline had asked her stepdaughter if she was seeing spirits. She turned back to Madeleine. "Do you remember anything about your mother? Absolutely anything?"

Madeleine shook her head. "She had dark hair. I know I could point her out if I saw her."

There was something about Madeleine vehemence that gave Kiria hope. "Can you leave this room?"

"Oh yeah. I wandered around earlier. I just didn't want to get lost and miss talking to you."

"You want to come home with me? I'd like to bring you to the trial tomorrow."

Madeleine brightened. "I can do that?"

"Yeah. You think that'll be a problem?" she asked Maya.

"Not that I can tell."

Kiria smiled at Madeleine. "I need to wait for Nathan so that we can recap, but then we can go. You'll probably appreciate the change in scenery, at the least."

* * *

Nathan called, but Kiria said she'd rather meet in person, so he found himself driving back to the International Attorney Office for the third time that day. His chat with Christopher Hamarch hadn't been much help, but he'd been able to at least console the man. He was exhausted, confused, and utterly discouraged.

He found Kiria and Maya sitting cross-legged on the floor in Ava Kutsch's former office. "Hope you don't mind. This room's a bit more pleasant," Kiria explained.

"Did someone bag the evidence safe?"

Kiria nodded. "I got Detective Gumshoe to do it a few minutes ago. You must have just missed him."

"Good. Anything good?"

"Mr. Dwayne Rockweiler is gone. His house is deserted, and he hasn't been to work since the incident."

Nathan cursed under his breath.

"But, we do know that Evangeline asked Madeleine if she could see spirits."

"So she was checking out Madeleine for _Kronos._ Interesting. So, did Evangeline kill Madeleine because she could see and didn't want her caught up in _Kronos_?"

"Nope. Madeleine couldn't see."

"So then why kill her?"

Kiria frowned. "The only thing that I can think of is that she couldn't let Madeleine tell Christopher Hamarch. Madeleine says she can identify Evangeline if she saw her."

"So you think this was a case of covering her trail?"

"Yeah. Anything from Christopher Hamarch?"

"Not a bit of information other than he corroborates Natalya's story. She's Interpol alright." Nathan rubbed his eyes. "Tomorrow is a crapshoot. If we find out who Evangeline Illane is, it's going to be a miracle."

Kiria nodded her agreement. "Get lots of rest. Tomorrow is going to be a hard day."

They parted on that note: an uncertain, stressed note. Only one thing was certain. Together, they were determined to throw a wrench in _Kronos_ and Evangeline Illane's plans.

* * *

**A/N: Last Investigation of Turnabout International. Madeleine will find justice. _Kronos_ will be revealed to the Court. Stay tuned for the epic conclusion of Turnabout International!**

**Read and Review. c:**


	16. Turnabout International: Trial 3

**Chapter Fifteen :: Turnabout International :: Final Trial **

The morning came far too quickly for Kiria's liking. Instead of feeling rested as she roused herself out of bed, she felt absolutely exhausted. Perhaps it was just the dread of going into the courtroom in a few hours and admitting that they had no idea who Evangeline Illane was. Or maybe it was because she'd spent half of the night in a fitful slumber, falling off the bed numerous times due to the nightmare that Natalya had described. A faceless Evangeline Illane tricked her every time, and every time she ended up dead.

Probably not the best feeling to go into a trial with.

Madeleine was awake when she came into the kitchen to make coffee. Kiria's adolescent curiosity had been piqued last night as she realized that the spirit probably didn't sleep, but the girl had at least pretended to, curling up on the couch like a cat. She was now sitting at the table, a chagrined look on her face. "I tried to make breakfast for you, but . . . ."

"Thanks, but I probably wouldn't have ate anything anyways. Nice of you to think of me though." Kiria turned on the coffeemaker on the far counter and fished a mug down from one of the cupboards. "I'd offer you some coffee, but I have a feeling you'd decline."

Madeleine wrinkled her nose. "I can't stand the taste of coffee. I don't get how most adults deal with it."

Personal preference hadn't really been the reason behind not offering, but Kiria didn't push it. "Your case is getting wrapped up today."

Madeleine nodded, her face falling.

Damn. That had probably been the wrong thing to say, hadn't it? "I mean . . . you're going to get justice today."

Madeleine didn't look overly convinced. The vehemence that had motivated Kiria yesterday was now gone. God, it was disheartening to see such a look on the girl's face. Guilt brewed in her as she realized that she still didn't have a clue who the murderer was. Evangeline Illane was a name without a face who might have been gunning for Madeleine, but now she could be gunning for Kiria as well.

"Let's keep positive until we get to court," Kiria finally suggested. "After all, once we get to court, things may become a lot clearer than they seem now."

Even as she said it, she didn't believe it.

* * *

It was refreshing, not having to rush to this trial because of another one. Unfortunately, she was still having to rush because she was running behind. The trial was slated to begin in a few minutes, and she had to go halfway across the courthouse. In addition, it was hard to keep track of Madeleine among the throng of real people bustling to their own trials.

Lucky for her, she showed up right on time, bursting through the doors just as the Judge was emerging from his chambers. Nathan sent her a pointed glare that asked "_What the hell are you doing?_", but she just averted her eyes. She hadn't meant to arrive just in time to watch the case of her life go down the drain. After all, if she'd had a choice, she wouldn't be here at all.

Her client looked less than reassured.

God, this morning wasn't going well.

The Judge settled himself into his seat before picking up his gavel. "This is the final day of the People v. Horiyama trial. I trust that the Prosecution and the Defense uncovered everything they needed to before coming here?" He looked between Kiria and Nathan expectantly.

Nathan bit his bottom lip. "Sort of, your Honor. We're hoping that the rest of the pieces fall into place once the trial is in full swing."

"Alright, I suppose I can deal with that. Would you mind presenting any essential evidence to the court before giving an opening statement, Mr. Price?"

"Of course, your Honor. I am pleased to say that we have an definite victim: Madeleine Hamarch, the eighteen-year-old daughter of Detective Christopher Hamarch. The murder weapon was a small evidence safe from the MX-26 case which Reiko Horiyama presided over as the Defense Attorney."

"Excellent work. Opening statement, Mr. Price?"

Nathan looked uncomfortable. With Natalya claiming yesterday that she had implicated Reiko Horiyama, he hesitated to claim her as the murderer. "I was hoping to skip it and get right into our witnesses, if that's okay."

Kiria nodded her approval, and the Judge gave the same positive answer.

"The Prosecution calls Natalya Ilyinichna Korovina to the stand!"

* * *

Kiria had to hand it to him; she'd been shocked by the proclamation of Natalya, not Ava. Now that she thought it through, it made the most sense to start with Natalya and not have the confusion to begin with. Unfortunately, Ava Kutsch had been a familiar face in the courtroom, and the Judge recognized her immediately.

"Mr. Price! I believe you're mistaken—this is not Natalya Ili-something," he mumbled the rest of her name, obviously not fluent in Russian, "but Ava Kutsch!"

Nathan smirked and shook his head. "No, your Honor. In fact, this is not Ava Kutsch. In fact, Ava Kutsch has been an alias for seven years now." He held up Ava Kutsch's file. "In fact, Ava Kutsch does not exist. Natalya Korovina _is_ Ava Kutsch. Is it okay that I shortened that?" he turned to Natalya, sudden chagrin on his face. "It's kind of a mouthful."

She chuckled and nodded.

"Natalya Korovina is an Interpol agent searching after the paranormal crime group _Kronos_. I have her file right here to prove she is who she says she is."

The Judge looked confused. "Mr. Price, I'm afraid I don't see the connection between this case and your information."

"Yesterday we implied that the actions of Ava Kutsch were highly suspicious in her sudden facial reconstruction. However, she has a completely valid argument—that a member of _Kronos_ had seen her face on the day of Madeleine's murder!"

There was chatter that broke out, but it was quickly quelled. Madeleine seemed stunned. "He's pretty good at this," she said in awe.

"He _is_ quite talented in the courtroom, isn't he? I'll admit, he seems pretty in control of this argument," Kiria whispered back.

Her attention turned back to his argument as he started speaking again. "Ms. Korovina, if you'll share with the court the information you shared with us yesterday? I believe some testimony is in order."

* * *

Natalya's face smoothed into a serene expression, and while she talked, she closed her eyes, as if she were remembering a memory. "I went to the office to pick up some files. When I stepped into the case file room . . . I saw Madeleine, lying there dead. I'd known her since Chris adopted her a few years ago. When I realized that _Kronos_ was behind it . . . I couldn't just let them know they'd won a victory. So I beat up the body with a cane. I knew that Reiko Horiyama left one in her office, so I just got it out and . . . ." Her voice trailed off. When she had composed herself, she began to speak again. "But I hadn't been careful enough. I'd left the door open behind me. There was gunfire from the open door. I turned, and someone had caught a glimpse of my face. So I stalled and called for backup. When the rest of our squad was alerted, we all agreed that facial reconstruction was needed."

She paused, and Kiria gave a start. She'd expected the testimony to go on rather than where it had ended. Natalya was being much more vague than she had been the day before.

"The ball is in your court, Ms. Nomura," the Judge invited.

"How did you know that _Kronos_ was behind it?" Kiria asked curiously. She'd been thinking about it the night before. If she hadn't known what Evangeline looked like, how did Natalya know that it was Evangeline who had done anything?

Natalya opened her eyes and stared straight at the Defense Attorney. "_Kronos_ occasionally strikes one of our members like this. Last time, it was Dwayne's wife. Chris's daughter seemed like the same thing."

"So, you have no proof it was _Kronos_?"

"No."

Dead end. She hadn't done much with that line of questioning. Time to start over with something else. "You said that you found Madeleine dead. Could you tell how she died?" Her wording didn't sound quite right, and she hoped Natalya caught on to her meaning.

Natalya's eyes closed for a minute as she attempted to recall, and then she opened her eyes. "I think she was shot. I remember the blood."

"Objection! The autopsy report indicates blunt force trauma, which would leave no blood."

"Objection!" Nathan battled back. "Then how do you explain the blood on the bottom of the evidence safe?"

She hesitated. There had been blood, she remembered. Even Natalya's actions with the cane shouldn't have left blood. So why had there been blood? Was the murder weapon wrong?

She turned to Reiko, a sudden thought crossing her mind. "What's inside of the safe?"

Reiko furrowed her brow in thought before the light dawned across her face. "It's a gun. We used it in MX-26."

Kiria turned back to Nathan and the rest of the court, but not before she realized that Madeleine had a look of stark terror cross her face. "What's wrong?"

"Th—That's—That's her! That's my mom! That's Evangeline Illane!" Her finger was pointed out and Kiria could have cried.

"B—But she's Asian! All you could tell me yesterday was that she had dark hair!" Kiria protested.

Madeleine shrugged. "I didn't think it was a detail that mattered."

A cold feeling inched itself over her shoulders as she worked out the case for herself. Even if she assumed that Reiko wasn't Evangeline Illane, the case eventually came back to her. After all, the combination hadn't been lying around in the case file, or else Nathan would already have the information of what had been in the safe. In order to get to the gun, one would have needed to know the combination. Reiko Horiyama was the only one who knew that combination.

She paled. "The Defense requests a ten-minute recess."

"But Ms. Nomura, the trial has barely started!" the Judge protested.

"_Please_! I need to talk to my client!"

After a moment of hesitation, he nodded. "Alright. At the Defense's insistence, the Court will take a ten-minute recess. For future reference, Ms. Nomura, I would suggest talking to your client _before_ the trial begins." The gavel hit the sound block with finality.

"Advice taken, your Honor." And then she was darting out of the courtroom to catch up to her client.

* * *

"Ms. Nomura? Is something wrong? _Daijoubu desu ka?_" There was a concerned expression on Reiko's face as she watched her Defense Attorney glare at her.

"_Hai, daijoubu desu."_ She glared at her client. "Of course, I would be better if you hadn't lied to me."

Complete innocence crossed Reiko Horiyama's face. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Really?" Disbelief colored her tone like iodine in a bucket of water. "Really? We're this far into this case and you refuse to tell me the truth. You are _not_ Reiko Horiyama, and you are _not_ innocent."

"Keep your voice down, Nomura," Reiko warned, a serious look on her face.

"No, I'm not going to be quiet! You are Evangeline Illane, and you are responsible for the death of Madeleine Hamarch."

"Not that the court will ever know that."

Contempt flickered across Kiria's face. She hadn't even attempted to deny the charges. "What makes you think that I won't march right in there and tell everyone the truth?"

A slow smile inched its way over Reiko's face. "Because I have leverage over you. Firstly, because you're my Defense Attorney. It is your _obligation_ to prove me innocent. Just like every Prosecutor has a duty to fight for a guilty verdict, you, my dear, have a duty to get me an innocent one. And second, because I know something about you. And that knowledge could have a whole organization hungry for your blood. You could disappear like so many other attorneys that have gone up against us. How would you like that, Nomura? And Interpol is always one step behind. _One step_." She emphasized the last two words like a threat. "You'll be gone before anyone can even _think_ to make a call to save you."

A shiver ran down her back. "I don't owe you anything," she whispered fiercely. "I have no obligation to you; I have an obligation to the truth. And I'm not scared of you, or _Kronos_, or anything else you could summon to try to frighten me." Had she been Pinocchio, her nose would have been ten feet long and still growing. "I _will_ show the court who you are and I _will_ make sure that you are proclaimed guilty for the murder of Madeleine Hamarch. And there is nothing short of an army that will stop me."

"You will regret this, Nomura, if you do." Reiko had completely dropped the pretense and was in full Evangeline mode. "I will go after every single person you're close to. I will accuse you of every crime in the book until you are proclaimed guilty and are thrown in jail with me. And then I will make your life a living hell until you're dying to die. Now think, Nomura. Think _very_ carefully. Is this the best move for you right now?"

Her response was to turn on her heel and walk into the courtroom. "The best move is always toward the truth. And nothing that you say—no future that you dangle in front of me—will change that."

* * *

She couldn't believe that she'd ever thought that Edward Ross might have been guilty. There was a different feeling that had settled itself in the pit of her stomach, pure acid that was pushing bile into her throat like she'd would be physically sick if Reiko wasn't proclaimed guilty. So she stalked into the courtroom with as much conviction as she'd ever had that was she was doing was right. After all, wasn't the saying "_The truth will set you free?_" The truth would set Madeleine free. She had an obligation to Madeleine more than to Reiko Horiyama.

Nathan gave her a smile for support as they went to their respective stands. Although he hadn't overheard the conversation, he had seen the whispers and defensive stances of the young Defense Attorney and her client, and he had a theory forming in his head around their argument. Was there any way that Reiko Horiyama could be . . .

No. Ridiculous. She was a renowned attorney.

That was what he thought, at least, until Kiria held up the MX-26 case file as soon as court reconvened. "The murder weapon in the MX-26 case was a pistol. The murder weapon in this case was also a pistol—the very same pistol as in the MX-26 case—which had been encased in this evidence safe."

"Did you have it checked out by ballistics?" Nathan inquired.

Kiria shook her head. "You have the safe."

He suppressed a grin and surrendered the evidence to the bailiff. "So, the question becomes, who could get into the safe?" It suddenly hit him that he'd been led to this question. Kiria was staring at him with the look she gave him when she knew exactly what she was doing. She was going to lead him through this trial like a blind man's guide dog.

Unfortunately, if he was too dense, she could be accused of not supporting her client. There was as much at stake here for him as her.

"Exactly," she said approvingly. She turned to her client. "Who would know the combination of the safe?" she asked Reiko calmly, as if their confrontation earlier had never happened.

"Myself, Winston Payne, and Christopher Hamarch."

Kiria nodded resolutely. "Well, we can eliminate Christopher Hamarch, as he was completely unaware of his daughter's death until yesterday." Sure, she had no evidence, but she had all the proof she needed to erase her skepticism from his reaction at the news. There was no way that someone could act that convincingly.

"And Winston Payne had a trial when the crime occurred," Nathan volunteered. "I sat in the Gallery and watched it." He waited for her to draw the conclusion, but quickly realized that she couldn't say it and not be accused. "Therefore, the only one without an alibi during that time . . . is you, Ms. Horiyama."

Reiko spluttered and waited for her Defense Attorney to defend her, but Natalya got there first. "But wait! Ms. Horiyama was only implicated because I used her cane! There's no way that she could be guilty for the crime!"

"And why not?" Nathan challenged.

"Because . . . because . . . because you haven't proven that she has done anything yet!" Natalya finally retorted. "At least show me some motive!"

Crap. They hadn't been able to establish motive yesterday, and they were no better off today. Kiria glanced around, shuffled through her evidence, and then her fingers suddenly found Evangeline Illane's autopsy report. She'd already had Reiko Horiyama's case file on the desk. A jolt ran through her as she realized how she could prove Reiko's true identity.

"Ms. Korovina? Could you remind me when you became Ava Kutsch?"

"Five years ago." Natalya's eyes narrowed as she looked at the attorney. "What are you trying to get at?"

"You changed your identity to follow Evangeline Illane into the legal system, correct? Because she had just disappeared?"

"Yes."

Kiria held up the file. "Unfortunately for Ms. Horiyama, her file suddenly starts existing around the time that yours does. Ironically, this is right after Evangeline Illane's tragic car accident as well."

Natalya's eyes widened, but the Judge was a few steps behind. "Wait, wait, wait! Who is this Evangeline Illane? What does she have to do with this trial?" he asked in helplessness.

"Your Honor, Evangeline Illane is a part of _Kronos_, the group that Interpol has been searching after. In fact, it sounds like she's one of the top dogs in this paranormal crime ring. They've been guilty of kidnapping attorneys who have defended those who claim to see the dead. Of course, Evangeline Illane is also Madeleine's former adopted mother. When Christopher Hamarch married Evangeline, Madeleine came along for the ride as well. The Prosecution and the Defense believe that Evangeline Illane is responsible for Madeleine's death." Nathan shrugged at Kiria at the end, hoping he'd said the right thing. She nodded a very minute degree before turning to the Judge.

"So, this Evangeline Illane is a criminal?" he asked.

Natalya nodded. "Of the worst kind."

"But you said that she was dead, right?"

Kiria nodded. "Or so we thought. But Interpol has been trailing Evangeline for the last five years, trying to figure out who she's disguised as now."

"So, who is she?"

Nathan took over now. "Evangeline Illane is Reiko Horiyama. When Evangeline realized five years ago that her husband was an Interpol agent who had married her to get the scoop on things, she staged a car accident where the body was unrecognizable."

"Sounds like this case," the Judge remarked.

"It's probably where Ms. Korovina got the idea to beat Madeleine's body to disguise her identity. Once Evangeline was pronounced dead, she was able to have a complete reconstruction like Ms. Korovina did. It put Interpol back into Square One and allowed her to get away."

Kiria took up the charge now. "But Madeleine probably weighed in on Evangeline's mind. Perhaps as a child she showed some tendencies toward seeing the dead. Besides, she's feeling vengeful now. Her husband of two years had been an Interpol agent. If she gets to Madeleine, it's a win for her. Boosts her pride. And she still likes the girl. Evangeline had always wanted a daughter, but her line of work didn't allow one. So she sets up a meeting to meet with Madeleine at the International Attorney's Office."

"When Evangeline asks if Madeleine can see anything special, the final nail has sealed the coffin. Madeleine is now dangerous to Evangeline and to _Kronos_. If Christopher Hamarch finds out, he knows who Evangeline Illane is and it's all over. Madeleine becomes a liability."

"So, Evangeline opens the safe and kills her with the pistol inside. Now she has to flee the scene to get evidence to implicate someone else. Christopher Hamarch sounds good, right?"

"Right," Nathan confirmed, putting the final puzzle pieces together. "But when she comes back with the forged evidence, she sees Ava Kutsch defiling Madeleine's body. And things start clicking. She realizes that Ava is another part of Interpol. So she starts shooting until Ava is forced to call for backup and can get out of there. Unfortunately, there are now bullet holes and blood in places that there shouldn't be blood—namely, the front hallway—and there's no way that Evangeline can clean everything up. So she flees, trying not to implicate herself any further. She's confident in her disguise as Reiko Horiyama. But she's brought back again when she remembers what Ava was using to defile Madeleine's body. And she realizes that she's going to be caught unless she can do something. She knows that Ava isn't coming back."

"So she drags Madeleine's body into Ava's office and tries to escape with her bloody cane. But that doesn't go so well. Annaliese Montrieu catches her trying to leave with her bloody hands further soiling the hallway. Reiko Horiyama is promptly arrested," Kiria finished.

Silence echoed through the courtroom. Their argument had been seamless. Flawless.

"Where's your proof?" Reiko asked.

"W—What do you mean?" Nathan asked, taken aback. "Didn't you just hear our explanation? You're the only one that could have committed the crime!"

"Only if I was really Evangeline Illane. But you have no proof that I am Evangeline Illane. You're assuming that I'm Evangeline off of a file."

"And the safe! You're the only one that could have opened the safe that the gun was in."

Reiko smiled, but there was no humor in it. "Only if the gun was actually the murder weapon. But I believe that the autopsy report says that it was caused by blunt force trauma, doesn't it? And a gunshot is certainly not blunt force, in case you've forgotten your basic forensics classes."

No. No, she couldn't get out of it! Madeleine looked over at Kiria in alarm. "Do something! She's going to get away with murder!"

"I don't have anything to go at her with!" Kiria hissed back, going over her evidence again. There had to be something!

"I'm afraid that the Defendant is right. If you can't find any proof to back up your claims, then I believe it's time to hand down a verdict." He peered over at Kiria, his mouth twisting in confusion. "My dear, this is a good thing for you! The Prosecution can't find a reason to proclaim your client guilty! Cheer up!"

There was no cheer inside of her. She couldn't call Madeleine as a witness. The only other person that would know that Reiko could be Evangeline would have been Dwayne Rockweiler, who was long gone. The trial was over, and she'd won. Unfortunately.

The bailiff finally scurried into the tense courtroom. "The forensics is done on the gun, your Honor. Four rounds were fired since it had been put in the Evidence safe."

The Judge looked over at Nathan. "Do you have any ideas given that new knowledge, Mr. Price?"

"Even if the gun wasn't the murder weapon, it means it was still fired!" he charged.

"But that doesn't mean that I did it," Reiko said calmly.

"But it does mean that you opened the safe. If nothing else, you're still an accessory to murder!"

There was another moment of silence. And then everything broke out in noise.

_"Reiko Horiyama, an accessory to murder?"_

_"I didn't believe what that Prosecutor was saying about her being Evangeline Illane, but there's no way the gun could have gotten out of the safe without her!"_

_"I don't know if I believe the thing with the paranormal crime group, but there's no way around the gun."_

"Order! Order!" The Judge cried out in an attempt to settle the courtroom. The din was deafening, with everyone talking at once. It gave Kiria a moment to think things through. She couldn't prove that Reiko Horiyama was Evangeline Illane. But could she prove that Evangeline Illane was Reiko Horiyama?

MX-26.

"The Defense would like to call a witness!"

"ORDER!" The Judge finally yelled. "What was that, Ms. Nomura?"

"The Defense would like to call a witness to clarify the MX-26 evidence."

Nathan furrowed his eyebrows. "What's so special about the MX-26 evidence?"

"There was obviously a reason why the gun was in the safe. I believe it could clear up the confusion on Ms. Horiyama's identity."

Reiko looked uncomfortable.

"The Prosecution allows the calling of the witness. I also thought it was strange."

The Judge nodded and knocked his gavel against the sound block. "Ms. Nomura, call your witness."

"The Defense would like to call Christopher Hamarch to the stand!"

* * *

Another chaotic din broke over the courtroom, but it was silenced almost immediately when Christopher Hamarch took the stand. Kiria had known he was here; she'd seen him sitting in the gallery. A nod told her that he knew what she was up to, and he was willing to get into this fight with her. Of course. In this case, Interpol had been one step ahead of her.

"Witness, please state your name and occupation."

Christopher Hamarch crossed his arms over his chest. "Christopher Hamarch, Interpol agent."

"I'll hand this over to the Defense," Nathan nodded his head as he said that, surrendering control. It was between her and Christopher Hamarch now, who wanted Evangeline in jail just as badly as she did.

There was no way they could lose.

"What was the MX-26 case?"

"MX-26 was a case surrounding the mysterious attack of Tessa Rockweiler. She was the wife of one of our Interpol agents, so I was assigned to the case to make sure that there wasn't any foul play."

Huh. Not what she had expected. Then again, she hadn't read the case file. "And was there any 'foul play'?"

"I suspected that the murder weapon had been forged, so I put the thing in the evidence safe."

There was nothing overly case-breaking there. That was, until he kept going.

"And I made sure that there was a fingerprint scanner on the safe. In order to get past the first one, you have to have the passcode. _But_ in order to get to the gun, there's a fingerprint scanner on the second set. Forensics has a person with fingerprints to get past the scanner."

"So, you're saying that Reiko Horiyama's fingerprints are on the scanner?" Kiria clarified.

He nodded. "And Evangeline's fingerprints are in her file to compare."

A slow smile smoldered over Nathan's lips. "I think we should do so."

"Objection!"

No surprise there. Reiko Horiyama was sweating bullets.

"Objection overruled, Ms. Horiyama. The fingerprints will be analyzed. Bailiff, bring one of the forensics teams in."

The team huddled around the safe and the file. After a minute, one of them jumped up. "They're a match!"

* * *

The noise was overwhelming. Absolutely overwhelming. One of LA's best Attorneys, proclaimed a killer.

A scream cut through, echoing through the courtroom. Evangeline Illane was screaming, and then she was laughing. Her laughs were high-pitched and sharp, stabbing through the sudden silence like a knife through butter. "Oh, Nomura. I warned you. I warned you that I'd be after you if this happened. Alright, I'll admit it. I killed Madeleine. I killed her and dragged her into the office. And Christopher, darling? I enjoyed every minute of it when I envisioned your face instead."

The bailiff had to step in to restrain Christopher from tearing Evangeline's head off.

"Mr. Hamarch! Keep your cool!" The Judge looked tired. "I'd like to hand down a verdict, before we have another murder in here."

"No objections."

"None here, your Honor." No, if nothing else, Kiria wanted Evangeline Illane locked up as quickly as possible.

"The Court rules that Reiko Horiyama—no, Evangeline Illane—is guilty of murder. Further sentencing will be handed down at a later time. If you don't mind, Bailiff, I'd like to see Ms. Illane escorted out of the courtroom before we ad—"

"OBJECTION!"

Natalya stood up from her perch on the Prosecution's Bench. "I request that Ms. Illane be kept in solitary confinement until her sentencing. She has the information to seriously harm members of the community, and should not be given the chance to share that crucial information."

The Judge looked between the two attorneys, waiting for an objection, but received none. "Agreed. Ms. Illane, you will be placed under solitary confinement until further notice. Bailiff?"

Evangeline glared at everyone involved in the trial. "I am not the only one you should be worried about. Sure, cut off one of the heads, but another will grow back. You will _never_ defeat _Kronos_, no matter how hard you try. You can't stop me, not with a guilty verdict, not with solitary confinement. We _will_ meet again. We will!" She was still shouting at the top of her lungs as the bailiff led her out. The door swung closed, and the courtroom was met with silence.

The sound reverberated around the room awkwardly, and everyone rushed to fill that silence. Kiria shuffled with the files on her desk, not wanting to meet anyone's eyes. This was her first loss, but she felt validated. She had gone for the truth, and it had won.

A sinking feeling hit her stomach.

"Court is adjourned."


	17. Turnabout Redemption

**Chapter Sixteen :: Turnabout Redemption**

She felt sick. Sicker than sick. An overwhelming sense of relief should have flooded into her; she should have been jumping up and down with joy. But Kiria felt nothing but the nausea that rolled over her in waves. Had she just nailed her own coffin shut? Would she have some worker from _Kronos_ showing up on her front door and shooting her like Evangeline had done to Madeleine?

She stumbled out of the courtroom, a hand clamped over her mouth. Natalya wasn't far behind her. "Nomura! Wait up!"

She didn't want to wait up. She had the sudden compulsion to hide under her bed with the covers yanked over her head. Nevertheless, she repressed the fear that bubbled up inside of her and turned to face the Interpol agent. "Is something wrong?" she forced herself to say calmly.

"I am going to personally handle Evangeline's solitary confinement. She will _not_ get out." There was a stress in her words, a statement meant to allay her fears. "Nomura, listen to me." Her hands clamped around Kiria's upper arms like vices. It kept her in that spot, unable to move away. It eliminated her escape route, eliminated her hiding spot under the covers. She had no choice but to try to listen to Natalya's rational words. "Your secret will die with Evangeline. We'll get her trial accelerated. She'll get the death sentence as soon as the trial is over. No one will ever know. _Kronos_ will never know. I swear by my life, by my heritage as a Russian, and by my badge as a Detective—I swear that you will be safe. Do you hear me? You'll be safe."

It was a deal for a deal. She'd put Evangeline Illane in jail. She was locked in; there was no action she could take to prevent harm. The only thing she could do was trust in Natalya's words. "I understand." The feeling in her stomach was beginning to ebb away. The weakness in her knees abated, her spine beginning to straighten again. She couldn't back down now. "I trust you. If you say that I'm safe . . . I'm safe."

Natalya's smile was thick with reassurance. "You _are_ safe. But I've got to make good on my promise, and follow that bitch to solitary confinement." She released Kiria and trotted off after the menagerie of guards.

Edgeworth and Nathan immediately took her place. "Are you alright?" Nathan asked, worry etched over his face. "You don't look so great."

"I'm fine." She mustered up a smile. It wasn't fair to worry them.

Nathan looked skeptical, but didn't say anything. Instead, he studied her drawn face. "How long had you known? About your client?"

"Not until the recess."

"That's what the argument was about?"

"Yeah. That's exactly what the argument was about. She threatened to have me killed. And haunted. And every other bad ending ever possible." She shrugged, trying to act unaffected by it. "It was just fuel to the fire. It didn't happen to work like she thought it would, and you see how it worked out for her."

Awe crossed Edgeworth's face, but he left Nathan to respond. Confronted with death, back against the wall, and she had still worked for the truth. She was probably scared to death, but worked so hard to keep a normal expression. He'd seen her steel nerves before in trials. Whenever her back was against the wall, that was when she shone like a diamond. It was almost like she timed everything out so perfectly so that she kept a facade of innocence and inexperience. Even this mask she had on—everything, even the smile she wore as she tried to convince her friend she was fine—seemed rehearsed. Her eyes flickered over to meet his as he realized he'd been staring at her. He put a smile on his face to match hers. "I'm planning on visiting Wright. Would either of you like to join me?"

"That forge—I mean, Mr. Wright?" he quickly corrected when he saw Kiria's murderous expression. "I'll pass, but thank you. I have a case lined up for me that I must get to, so I'll bid you sayonara," he teased to try to get the smile she'd had to resurface. She gave a wry one as she rolled her eyes. "I'll get the paperwork finished up for this case tonight, Mr. Edgeworth." With that last phrase hanging in the air, he walked away from the duo.

"Would you like to join me?" Edgeworth asked.

She nodded. "I'd love to. Thank you." She reverted back to the other smile, the one that barely reached her eyes.

He put a hand on her shoulder, meant to be comforting, but she immediately shrugged it off. "Are you sure that you're alright?" he asked.

"Perfectly. I've never lost a trial before, so I suppose I'm a little shocked at that." The lie rolled off of her tongue effortlessly, and she crossed her fingers in hopes that he believed her. "Do you have something to do here?" She motioned around the courtroom with a graceful hand.

"No. Shall we go?" She didn't say anything back, for fear that her voice would crack. There was only so much she could do when someone was watching her for reactions so carefully as Edgeworth was. Instead, she gave a curt nod, resolving to focus on Phoenix's problems to make hers vanish.

* * *

It was only a ten-minute drive to Phoenix's apartment, but it seemed much longer with the silence that echoed around the car. Kiria kept her eyes locked on something out the windshield, and it took Edgeworth all of his focus to drive through the press-filled streets around the courthouse. Microphones had been shoved in their faces as they'd fought their way to the car, reporters wanting to know more about the case, but Kiria acted aloof, ignoring them like they were flies. A girl who had previously been so preoccupied with politeness was now showing either her true colors or the full extent of her mask. It was like a completely different person was sitting in the passenger's seat. When he finally pulled into the parking spot in front of Phoenix's apartment complex, she put on the mannequin smile she'd had on her face earlier. "Thank you, Mr. Edgeworth."

"Not a problem." As she started up the stairs, he kept an eye on her, waiting for any more bizarre actions. There wasn't anything strange until they had almost scaled all but the last flight of stairs. She stopped suddenly, confusion flitting across her face. What was it? Was it the ghosts she'd claimed to see? He tried to figure out from her face what was going on until the sound hit his own ears.

"Then go, Maya! I don't need you around here!"

There was a stifled sob. "You don't mean that! You can't mean that!"

"I can't change what happened. I can't change what it did to me! If you can't deal with it, then get out of here!"

There was the sound of a slamming door, and then another when Maya Fey came into view, tears flowing down her cheeks. She spotted he and Kiria in the next moment, and rushed to the younger attorney, beginning to try to recount what had happened. Real emotion, not the muted ones that had crossed her face earlier, was exposed as horror and shock played across Kiria's face. He figured she had Maya Fey handled. Now to talk some sense into Wright.

The disgraced man was sitting in a chair, elbows propped up on his knees, head in his hands. "Is she gone?" Phoenix Wright asked as he heard the footsteps that inevitably were not Maya's.

"She's outside, talking to Nomura."

Phoenix cursed under his breath. "At least she isn't alone on the streets."

"What's going on, Wright?" He took a seat in the nearest chair, leaning forward. "What brought all of this on?"

He laughed humorlessly. "What brought all of this on? My disbarring, that's what. Does that shock you, Edgeworth? Disgust you? Unlike everyone else here, I can't keep it all in and dance around the subject." He cursed again, sitting up and shaking his head. "You know when Maya lost her mother last year? How she was cheerful, despite everything, for Pearl's sake? I told myself that if anything like that happened to me, I'd act the same way for Maya. She's been through too much. I couldn't handle putting everything on her shoulders. And now look at me!" He stood, agitated. "Look at the fallen attorney and laugh. Because I'm only half the person Maya is. You are. Franziska is. I'm so shaken up, I can't even function anymore." Another laugh hit his throat. "I can't see anything related to the courthouse without a manic breakdown. My mom took Trucy away, saying something about how she felt it was better for me to recover without a child than have to take care of one while they look for any related family. And that's the understatement of the year. Hell, I didn't even remember that her name was Trucy for the first day. Maya's been taking care of her like she takes care of Pearl. Like we're some screwed-up family: the alcoholic father who can't handle his own father, the angelic mother who attempts to fix everything, and the daughter who lost her father in a magic trick. We could be in a fucking sitcom." He shook his head again, pacing back and forth on the threadbare carpet.

Ah. That was the problem. It wasn't that Maya Fey had done something wrong in any way. It was that Phoenix Wright couldn't keep his emotions in check, and so unleashed his fury on whoever was closest. Well, at least it hadn't been the child. "Wright—" he started, but Phoenix interrupted him as quickly as he'd spoken.

"Why is it that after eighteen years now, you still can't call me Phoenix? We've been allies, partners in court, and still, it's my last name you prefer. If it's for the professionalism, spare me. After all, we'll never face each other in court again."

Edgeworth's anger sparked. How could this man just give up after everything that he'd accomplished? "I'd call you Phoenix, Wright, if you picked yourself up and started acting like the man you are. What was that talk about believing in your clients, and yet you can't believe in yourself? We both know that Mia Fey would not give up now. After all, not even death stopped your mentor."

"And my mentor was ten times the person I am! No one can compare to Mia! Hell, everyone thinks I forged evidence! You even think I did it!"

He was taken aback. "You think that _I_ think that you forged the evidence you presented? Wright, I know you better than that! I know that you would never do anything like that, even if it did end in an innocent verdict! Do you think that Maya Fey thinks you did it? Or Nomura? Not even Franziska believes that tale! The media can spit out whatever stories about you they want, and we will still believe you! Is that what the problem is? You think that everyone thinks you're the forger?"

"You don't believe it?" The tone was so incredibly childish, sounding abashed and ashamed.

"No. And none of them do. None of them that know you personally think that. Now you just sent the woman who has been beside you through everything through that door in a fit of anger. Maya Fey has never stopped believing in you, so don't let her down!" Phoenix was already on his feet, wrenching the door open and running to the stairs.

Instead of seeing the spirit medium he had hoped to, he only saw his apprentice sitting on the steps, looking out across the parking lot. "She's gone?" he asked.

She didn't look back at him. "Gone back to Kurain."

* * *

She wasn't answering her cell phone. Every time he called, he was redirected to her voicemail. He listened over and over to her message, hoping that just once she would pick up out of pity for him. Instead, he was stuck listening to "Hi, this is Maya Fey. Leave your name and number, and if you're lucky, I'll get back to you. Oh, and Nick, if you're listening to this, you owe me burgers soon. Bye!" It was better than nothing. When the beep sounded, he groveled in earnest. He was starting to lose track of the number of times he had called. Maybe it was fifty. A hundred? Surely it wasn't more than five hundred?

He could hear the sounds of Kiria and Edgeworth lightly arguing in the kitchen. Obviously he couldn't be left alone, could he? Maybe they were trying to decide which one was less likely to be driven away. After all, that was what he did, wasn't it? Drove people away?

He placed one last call. All he needed was to hear her voice.

He vowed to take her out to burgers soon.

* * *

Kiria ended up staying the night, although it was almost like she wasn't there. She'd taken Maya's place on the couch, slumbering fitfully. He wondered whether it was the couch or her own dreams that had her tossing and turning. He hadn't even offered Maya his bed, and she hadn't complained.

He had grossly mistreated her.

He picked up the remote, intending to watch the news. He'd confined himself to his apartment for the last three days; there could have been a nuclear war for all he knew. Instead, he picked up the very end of the headline news.

_"In other news, International attorney Reiko Horiyama has been proclaimed guilty for the murder of eighteen-year-old Madeleine Hamarch. Both the prosecutor and the defense attorney on the case refused to comment. Critics of the Defense are alleging that she led the charge of implication that led to the guilty verdict. In any case, the trial was incredible, wasn't it, Ted? I know you watched all of it. Now, what does the forecast look like for the next seven days?"_ Phoenix wasn't listening now. This must have been the trial that Kiria had come to ask Maya about two days before. The revelation hit him that she had just lost her first trial. But it wasn't because of her lack of experience or evidence. No, the newscaster had specifically said that the Defense had led the charge. Her client had been guilty. A sudden pride filled him. She had proved that she could do this without his help. Even after his disbarring, she continued to push on.

It inspired him. She refused to back down. Edgeworth refused to back down. Hell, even Maya kept going. What was it about them that he couldn't do? He realized that the itching in his limbs wasn't a symptom of his loss. It was the need to get back to work. The law of inertia didn't apply to him. He was a clockwork soldier, wound up to the brim with the need to do something. To get back to work. It didn't matter if he didn't have a badge anymore. He'd been doing investigations for as long as he'd been a lawyer. Wright and Co. Law Offices wouldn't die without him. Instead, it would adapt to his badgeless state.

He shook the sole lawyer of Wright and Co. awake. She looked up at him blearily, rubbing her eyes. "_Nani? _Is something wrong?"

Something wrong? No, something was finally right. "I need to do something," he hissed in the darkness.

"What?" She sounded slightly irritated.

"I just saw your trial on TV. From today."

"It was televised?" She sat up, yawning. "What is it that you need to do?"

"Something. Anything. I can't do this anymore. If I sit here, I'll mope. I'll do things like I did to Maya earlier. I need to do something."

"At midnight? Phoenix, you might want to wait until—"

"No, no, no! Not _now_. I want to look into my disbarring. Into the forged evidence. If I can find the source, maybe I can reverse the ruling and get my badge back." The plan was all falling into place. "I've got to go question everyone that was involved. And in the end, I'll find who it was."

She was leaning forward, wide awake. This was the Phoenix Wright she knew. "Where are you going to start?"

"At the courthouse. I think the key to this case is what happened in the trial. I have the name of the forger. If I can connect the case and the forger, maybe I can find out the client."

She bit her lower lip. "I think maybe that should be delayed for a bit. After all, we've got to find out what happened to Zak Gramarye, right? Or at least find someone who Trucy can live with. I don't think she can live with your mom forever."

He'd almost completely forgotten about the small child who had proved she had a resilience only second to Maya's. "Yeah. Let's find her family first. After all, she and I both drew the short stick in this case."

"What happens if she doesn't have anyone? I know what happens in Japan, but . . ."

"Usually she'll wind up Child Protective Services, and then go to an Orphanage. Why? What happens in Japan?"

She looked at her lap. "International adoption isn't allowed in Japan, so if they're not adopted immediately by friends of the family, they stay in the orphanage. Japanese orphanages tend to be pretty empty though; we're family-oriented."

"So she'd go to a friend of the family?"

She nodded. "Yeah. It's a win-win situation. My older brother is adopted. I don't know what it was like for him to adapt though; I wasn't born yet." She shrugged. "I wonder if Trucy has anyone to go to."

There was a silence as Phoenix thought that over. "Well, go back to sleep. I'll go by the Precinct tomorrow to see if I can't help out in the search. By the way, I'm proud of you. You weren't afraid to lose the trial in order to obtain the truth. That's the mark of a true attorney." With that, he exited the room.

She stretched back out on the couch. As she folded her arms behind her head, she contemplated the mark of a true attorney.

* * *

**A/N: I know that this is a shorter chapter, but it didn't feel right to lump it together with the next chapter. This is probably my favorite chapter so far.**

**I've noticed that I'm getting a lack of comments, so if you read, talk to me! I don't know what you like or don't like if you don't tell me! So even if it's just to say, "Keep up the good work," leave me a comment or a PM!**

**Read and Review~**


	18. Turnabout Reconciliation

**Chapter Seventeen :: Turnabout Reconciliation**

Almost two weeks passed before it became glaringly obvious that Trucy was lacking any other family. Phoenix had hunted around for anyone who might have a relation to the budding magician, but found none other than the deceased Thalassa and the family friend Valant Gramarye. Seeing as Valant had no legal obligation and little interest in adopting the child, Phoenix took it upon himself to be Trucy's new father. He doted upon her with a renewed passion.

Kiria, on the other hand, was attempting to look into a repeal. Madeleine had abandoned her to look after her father, and she hadn't found any more ghosts to hang around. The lack of clients as a result of the disbarring had left a large amount of time on her hands with nothing to do other than investigate ways for him to get his badge back. Her other hours were filled with plans to get Maya back. The office just hadn't been the same without her best friend and spirit medium around. Coupled with not having a case for a few weeks made her feel restless.

"Wouldn't you think forged evidence would _encourage_ clients to come?" she pondered aloud in irritation one day. She was playing around with the order of witnesses while she watched Trucy practice magic in the client area.

Phoenix snorted. "Not quite. After all, if you get caught, your client gets an immediate guilty verdict. It implies that the evidence given wasn't strong enough to show innocence." He came out from his office, attempting to pin a campaign button to a backwards baseball cap. After a minute in frustration, he held it out to his junior attorney. "Would you mind pinning this on my hat for me?"

She gave a skeptical look, both at his fashion sense and the importance of the button. "What's up with the hat?" She'd accepted the gray fleece sweatshirt he wore in place of his suit, but the baseball cap?

"Not good?" he asked.

Lazily, she rolled her chair around so she could see his back. "You look like you're a Dodgers fan that can't figure out that the logo is on the front of the hat."

He chortled. "I didn't think it would work, but I can't pin it to the front; the bill gets in the way."

"Okay, I'll bite. What's so special about the button?"

A small smile flitted across his face. "Ema gave this to me a few weeks ago to use in my investigations. It's got a video camera inside of it. She thought it might help the whole 'he said, she said' dilemma in court."

"But what are you using it for now?"

"My investigation is longer than the three-day marathons I'm used to, and the only evidence that's going to cut it in court is decisive evidence. If I get a confession, I want it on tape."

"So . . . you're recording everything in the hopes that you somehow get a confession out of the person who's got it out for you?" The skepticism was thick in her voice, realistic above all else. She'd done enough in her short career as a lawyer to realize that confessions were rare inside the courtroom, and even sparser outside.

"Well, that and to refresh my old man mind." He winked, making the joke for Maya. "Anyways, some help, please?"

Kiria reached into her bottom desk drawer instead. "It's not exactly the perfect hat for early May weather, but it looks better than what you've got on." Her hand reappeared, clutching a black beanie adorned with a pom-pon at the crown. "The button will attach better too."

He tossed the cap aside in acceptance and handed her the pin. Within moments, she'd handed it back to him with the button attached. "Better?"

"Much. If you keep going out though, we're going to have to buy you a better hat."

He nodded in agreement and chuckled before getting back down to business. "I'm going to go out to investigate a bit; would you watch Trucy for me?"

"Of course. Keep me updated." She lifted her cell phone from its place on her desk in a silent 'call me' gesture and set it back down. Phoenix nodded in understanding, patted her shoulder warmly, and started talking to Trucy. After another minute, he stood and with a nod to both of them, exited the office. Kiria waited for the door to swing closed before she rose from her seat and knelt down to Trucy's level. She needed a break, and the young magician seemed to be the perfect diversion from work. "Hey, Trucy. What are you doing?"

"A magic trick! Here, let me introduce you to . . . the Amazing Mr. Hat!" A flourish with a cape and a casual theft of a hat set Kiria hurtling halfway across the room in sudden alarm.

"W—What's that?" she shrieked, her voice a whole octave higher than normal.

"It's Mr. Hat!" The young girl smiled angelically before nudging her new buddy. "Come on, say hello."

The figure swept off its hat with awkward grace. "Well, Miss! It's nice to meet you!" it said in a mock-tenor.

With the hat off, Kiria could clearly see the wooden structure beneath the cape. Her nerves immediately calmed as she realized it was just a magic trick, and not some invader hell-bent on kidnapping the child. Not that she'd reacted properly if it had been an intruder. Trucy would have been long gone before the attorney would have risen to her feet. She released the breath she'd been holding. "Nice to meet you too." She was trying to think of a question to ask the puppet, but her mind was failing her. It was probably better to let Mr. Hat ask the questions anyways.

"What a pretty scarf you have, Miss! Here, let me take it for a second." The wooden hand came out to clumsily slip her scarf off of her thin shoulders. "Trucy baby, be a doll and hold that for me, would you?"

Trucy giggled as if he were actually speaking to her instead of having a monologue with herself. "Of course I will! But now you see it . . ." She gave the scarf a good shake, ". . . and now you don't!" It literally disappeared before her eyes, with no hint that it had ever been there at all. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"Very." She sat down on the couch. "You're quite the magician, aren't you?"

"Yep!" She put Mr. Hat away, obviously satisfied with the reaction she'd received, and clambered onto the couch next to the attorney. "Have you ever done something and watched the eyes of your audience? It's the best feeling. I just did my first show at the Wonder Bar last week." She giggled in delight. "Do you perform?"

Kiria nodded. "I dance. Not much anymore, but I still teach dance classes a few times a week when I don't have a case. It's not as entertaining as doing magic tricks, by any means." She winked, eliciting another giggle from Trucy.

"Is that your talent? Although Daddy says you're an attorney and not to disturb you because you're working." She blew hot air into her cheeks, puffing them up.

"You're welcome to interrupt me anytime you'd like."

"Really?" Trucy's eyes lit up happily. "Daddy says we're going to be a big family, all of us, once everyone comes back. He says there's a lot of people that I don't know yet, but soon they'll be my uncles and aunties and I'll even have a mommy again!" She seemed excited at the thought of having a family. "Are you going to be my mommy?"

The question caught Kiria off guard. "W—What? No, no. I'll be your aunt, but that's where I draw the line," she asserted. A sudden pang of guilt hit her as she realized what she'd just said and how she'd said it, but Trucy kept smiling.

"Okay! Can I call you Auntie Kiria?"

She couldn't help but smile. "Of course."

The girl beamed with every ounce of happiness she possessed and jumped off the couch. "I've got to start practicing again. Daddy says it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert, and to become the next great magician, I've got to be an expert!" Without another word, she began to recite her act.

Kiria watched for a moment before deciding that she needed to get back to work on her second task. After all, if they were going to have a family, they needed the most important part.

* * *

As the week went on, Phoenix kept finding dead-ends in his investigation. The strings weren't lining up, and no answers seemed to want to present themselves. Even the forger, Drew Misham, revealed no new leads. More and more frequently, he found himself winding up at the office. Trucy would occupy his time with her magic tricks, and Kiria would ask for his advice about the repeal that he wasn't sure he supported. But he couldn't deny that there was something missing in his life. A large part that he had only missed once before, but it seemed more . . . empty now. It was a larger hole punched in his chest than there had been last time.

He fiddled with the centerpiece on the client table, watching Trucy pull a fake rabbit from a hat for the fifteenth time in a row. He'd sent Kiria off to get dinner from somewhere nearby. The default was burgers, but it seemed sacrilegious to even walk by without a certain young spirit medium in tow.

The door swung open, and the tiny Asian woman came back. Instead of the normal greasy paper bag, she had a crisp plastic one with defined corners sticking out of it. "Chinese food," she explained in a hushed voice when he cocked an eyebrow. "I didn't want to go get—"

"—I get it." He knew she missed her as much as he did. "She still hasn't called?"

"Nope. The office phone has been dead all day."

He pressed his lips together firmly. "Kurain isn't too far away. Two hours by train," he mentioned casually.

"I'm up for playing hooky tomorrow."

He nodded. "Good. I'll take Trucy to my mom's tonight. I don't think that she needs to experience Kurain Village yet." It was going to be Kiria's first trip as well. He didn't need to handle two newbies in the unique village.

"Sounds good." She brightened and raised her voice as Trucy looked over with the aroma of food. "Do you like Chinese food?" she asked the child.

Trucy smiled happily. "Uh huh! Is there pork fried rice?" she asked, clapping her hands together.

"We'll see," Phoenix merely said as Kiria set the cartons on the small table.

* * *

The next morning found a tired Kiria and nervous Phoenix on the early morning train to Kurain Village. The Japanese lawyer surveyed the empty vessel with detached eyes, watching the scenery pass by. There was a small knot in the pit of her stomach. What if Maya refused to come back? Or worse, what if she wished they'd never come?

Meanwhile, her companion sat beside her with a quiet air of anxiety. He was completely still, but his mind whirred at a speed faster than the surroundings. What would the reaction be to his arrival? There was a traditional air of unwelcome whenever he entered the village, but at least Pearls would be happy to see him, right? And if Maya was as miserable as she had been when she'd left, maybe everyone else would be happy he'd come.

That idea ended as quickly as it took to get off the train.

Rain drizzled down on the dreary, cloudy day, tapping gently on the roofs of the ancient Japanese-style buildings. There was no one outside, not in this weather. There was a dampness on the soul, an immediate bringing down to earth. Beside him, Kiria shuddered and pulled her jacket closer to her. "This is it? I feel like we stepped back a hundred years in time."

"You're not far off. You'd be hard pressed to find much more than a TV and a few phones here. Hopefully you checked your email before you came, because you won't be able to here."

She checked her phone, trying to dial into the internet. "Huh. No signal."

"Told you." Phoenix cracked a small smile. "Ready for your tour of Kurain Village?"

She nodded. "You bet. I feel like I'm traveling to Hashima City in Gifu. It's so . . . quaint." She took another look around, noting the lack of concrete roads.

"Quaint?" Phoenix questioned. He didn't say anything else, but just started walking toward the door of the largest building. "Cross your fingers," was the only warning he gave.

The door opened, and a squealing mob of young girls, all dressed in the same robes, stood as if they had just been walked in on while they were changing. There was a common panicked expression on all of their faces, and the leader of them, although smaller and younger than the rest, stomped right up to the two. "Mr. Nick!" she shouted angrily, a cross expression on her face. The little loops on the crown of her head jumped with a rage that seemed impossible for someone her size. "How could you?" There was a loud crash as her tiny hand came crashing across Phoenix's face. "Doing what you did to Mystic Maya? That's just . . . mean!" She slapped him again, harder this time.

"Pearls!" Kiria intercepted the next movement, catching the girl's hand before she could strike again. Now pushed behind her, Phoenix stumbled against the door frame, trying to get his balance. "Honey, we need to talk to Maya," she said, ignoring the cries of "It's _Mystic_ Maya!" "Do you know where she is?"

Pearl puffed her cheeks out, obviously debating whether or not to tell them. She was still a child; every emotion was etched across her face. "I don't know . . ." she murmured, biting her thumbnail nervously. After a moment, she seemed to have made up her mind. "She's in the garden off of the Winding Way. She keeps spending time alone, although whenever she sees me, she always talks to me like there's nothing wrong. I'm worried about her."

Kiria leaned down to talk on Pearl's level. "We're going to try to set things straight, okay? We're going to try to cheer Maya up."

A small tear slipped out of Pearl's eye, and Kiria embraced the girl. "Okay, kiddos, class is over. Go play Frisbee or meditate or something," she griped at the other girls clustered around the three. "Nothing to see here," she continued as the crowd began to disperse.

With the distraction at hand, Phoenix slipped out into the Winding Way.

* * *

It took him a minute to locate Maya in the courtyard. He heard her before he saw her. She was knelt over, a chant emitting from her lips. She repeated whatever she was saying dutifully, without speeding up or slowing down. He approached as quietly as possible, not wanting to disturb her.

She heard the pebbles crunch under his feet as he left the path. She knew what the acolyte sandals sounded like against the rocks, and that wasn't it. Paranoia sprung into her mind, her breath catching as she glanced around for something to defend herself with. As she turned her head to grab at a nearby branch, she caught a glance at the familiar blue jacket she'd seen for years.

"N—Nick?" Surprise crossed her features as she stood to her full height. "What are you doing here?"

He was silent for a moment, and she felt his eyes rake over her. She'd lost some weight lately, and she hadn't been sleeping as well as she had before she'd left. Self-conscious, she wrapped her arms around herself. Finally, he said something. "Maya." Uncertainty clouded his tone. "You're . . . I . . . ." He tried to say something—anything coherent—but the words refused to come out. After another quiet minute, he composed a full sentence. "You look tired."

She shrugged a purple-clad shoulder. "I'm okay."

More awkward silence. Neither knew what to say to rectify their friendship.

"You put on your suit jacket. The one you burnt." The whole right shoulder was charred. No wonder he'd received strange looks on the train.

He nodded. "Yeah. I thought . . . I thought . . ." Again, he was having problems chaining words together coherently. "I just . . . Kiria has my sweatshirt," he finished lamely. He'd wanted it to remind her of the old days, when everything was good again, but the words wouldn't come out. The prepared speech he'd had died on his lips, refusing to be reborn.

Maya looked excited. "Kiria's here?"

"Yeah. She's inside, talking to Pearls. She's pretty worried about you, you know."

"Kiria or Pearly?"

"Pearls."

"No way." She looked so childlike, the way she puffed out her cheeks in reproach.

"Yes way. She says you've been spending a lot more time alone."

She looked crestfallen that her attempt to look normal hadn't worked. "She's so observant. Much more than I was as a kid."

"I doubt that."

His response had her cocking an eyebrow in confusion. "How do you know what I was like as a kid, Nick?"

"Mia. She used to say that whenever she was upset, the only one that could ever tell was you. And then you'd follow her around like a lost puppy until she finally spilled the beans." He smiled at her fondly as she flushed to her roots. "You always realize something's wrong when it happens to the people closest to you."

She looked away pointedly, a warm blush blossoming on her cheeks.

He'd found his voice. He knew that she'd listen to him now, and he needed to rectify the problem while he still could. "I know there's something wrong, Maya. And I know that I'm the reason. And for everything I said . . . I didn't mean it. I was scared and alone—"

"—but Nick, you weren't alone!" Maya protested. They were finally getting into the heart of the matter. Why she'd escaped to Kurain and why he hadn't felt he could face her until now. "_I_ was there! And that didn't seem to be enough!"

"I _thought_ I was alone. I'd convinced myself that everyone believed that I'd committed the forgery. Edgeworth, Kiria, even you, Maya. It seemed like you were only staying with me out of guilt. Which I know you wouldn't do," he tacked on quickly.

"How could you even think that?" Maya exploded. Her slim body seemed tough and angular as she drew herself up to her full height. She approached, sticking a fierce finger in his chest. "After all that we've been through, after Mia's death, Aunt Morgan's betrayal, Matt Engarde, and Hazakura Temple? You still think that I didn't believe in you? God, Nick, you've always believed in me! Did you think I wouldn't reciprocate the favor?"

He opened his mouth to cut her off, but she ranted on.

"It's not even about reciprocating the favor! It's about trusting you, and I trust you more than anyone else! You know everything about me, and all of the screwed up stuff my family's been through, and you still talk to me. Do you know how that makes me feel? You believe that I won't become like them! And now you think I wouldn't believe in you? That's . . . that's just awful!" Like all anger she expelled nowadays, the tears welled up in her eyes, and she tried to push them back obstinately. "How could you even think that?" she croaked again, quieter this time, like she was becoming resigned to it. The tears leaked out then, blurring her vision.

For a moment, he was stunned. And then, as she raised her arm to wipe her wet eyes on her sleeve, he closed the gap between them and gave her the biggest hug he'd ever given anyone. "Maya," he murmured, trying to summon up some eloquent words to dry her tears and resolve the situation. None came. He just held her as she cried, his chin resting on the top of her head. "Maya, I'm so sorry." How it killed him to see those tears because of him! She had once held everything in because of Pearls, and he'd vowed to do the same. Unfortunately, it seemed like he hadn't succeeded. "I'm _so_ sorry."

She shook her head. "It's not your fault."

"But it is! Maya, you know you're my best friend. You _are_ my best friend. Better than Edgeworth, better than Kristoph, better than Larry. I can't do this without you. I need my plucky sidekick," he said pathetically, his lips curling into a desperate smile.

She shook her head. "I don't know. I mean, you tell me I'm your best friend, and yet you shut me out all of the time. I'm not a kid. I told Edgeworth that, and he believed me. But what am I to you, Nick?"

This sent him scrambling. He hadn't been prepared to go this far, but he knew that whatever came out of his mouth would be the truth, and he'd stick by it. He let go of what his mind was preparing and just let his mouth run. "Maya, you're everything. You're the guitar to my Jammin' Ninja, you're the Samurai Spear to my Nickel Samurai." He knew he was babbling now, but if it cheered Maya up any, he'd keep going. "You're the Pink Princess to my Steel Samurai—"

"Nick," Maya cut him off with a reproachful look. "You know, as of Episode 305, the Pink Princess and the Steel Samurai are now a couple."

"I know." And as he'd swore at the beginning of the conversation, he'd follow up on everything he said. He tilted her chin up and kissed her, full on the mouth.

The moment was blissful and short-lived. He pulled back, waiting to see her face, hoping he hadn't just screwed everything up. She looked shocked, caught unawares, and completely vulnerable. "Nick, I . . ." she started to say before she cut herself off again. Another minute passed with him holding his breath. Finally, she exhaled loudly. "Do you really feel that way?"

He wilted. "You don't?"

"No, no!" she quickly reassured him. "I do. It's just that I never thought that you would feel the same about me."

He smirked. "Funny, I was thinking the same thing."

"How could I? I mean, you're the only guy that I've ever really been around. You don't have much competition, Nick." She smiled with good humor. "But you—you have Iris. And there's no way I could ever be as pretty or as normal."

"Not a chance. Firstly, Iris is still in jail. Secondly, I don't feel that way about her. It was a college relationship—"

"But you kept staring at her every time we visited her!" Maya protested.

He shook his head. "Because I still couldn't believe that I hadn't dated Dahlia. That it was her all along. It was sobering to realize how much I don't see." He placed his hands on her shoulders lightly. "But there's nothing between us now. That happened a lot of years ago." He smiled at her, and she smiled back, reassured. "Now, I think Kiria's dying to talk to you. Or at least be rescued from Pearls."

* * *

"Did you hear that, Ms. Kiria?" Pearl jumped up and down happily, leaving her position at the door. "I knew it! Mystic Maya and Mr. Nick are special someones!"

"_Shhh!_" Kiria hissed, seeing the movement nearing the door. "They're coming!" Pearl clambered back into the young lawyer's lap, and Kiria wrapped the grey sweatshirt more tightly around the girl. "Now remember, we didn't see anything. You have to act surprised," she reminded her.

"Right!" Pearl nodded resolutely.

The door slid open, revealing Maya with Phoenix trailing behind her. Kiria gave them both smiles. "Is everything good now? You'll return to the office?"

Maya nodded. "I think so." She knelt down to Pearl's level, opening her arms to her cousin. "Are you okay, Pearly? Nick said you were upset."

"I'm okay now. Ms. Kiria was excellent at cheering me up." She beamed as she released Maya from the embrace.

"That's good. How about you spend some time with Nick while I help Kiria out for a bit?" She turned to Phoenix. "Is that alright?"

"Of course."

"Good." She held out a hand for the young lawyer to assist her getting up. "Come on; we have lots to talk about."

"Lots is right," Kiria murmured, taking the hand and getting to her feet. She and Maya disappeared into the next room, leaving Phoenix and Pearl in their wake.

* * *

"So, spill."

"I don't know what you mean."

Kiria rolled her eyes. "Pearls and I were watching from the door. She saw everything too. Well, all but the last part. She was too excited to watch any more."

"After just a kiss?"

"Hey, kisses are romantic for kids her age, right?" Kiria sat down opposite Maya on the bed, and Maya studied her appearance. There was something changed about her. She had more confidence, more wit since the last time they'd seen one another. Her chin-length black hair seemed to all go in the right direction, not a hair out of place. Her makeup was tastefully done, and covered any bags under her eyes she might have had.

"You look good. Better than how I left you."

"The day you left was . . . not good. Not just because you left, unfortunately."

"What happened?" Maya was all-ears as Kiria recounted the trial with Evangeline Illane, _Kronos_, and the threats made on her life. When she finished, Maya's expression was panicked. "Have they tried to get to you?" she demanded.

"No. Not that I know of, anyways. Natalya's keeping her word. Evangeline was executed three days after the trial ended."

"Wow. Just long enough to run the trial?"

Kiria nodded. "Exactly. I watched everything on TV. As far as I know, I'm safe."

"Talk about a stressful trial. What happened to Madeleine?"

"A few days after the trial ended, she thanked me for everything I did, and then left to follow her father. I haven't heard from her since."

Maya nodded and shrugged her approval. "Probably for the best. How's Trucy?"

"I am in awe." Kiria shook her head disbelievingly. "I have never seen a girl bounce back so quickly from loss as she has. She calls Phoenix 'Daddy'. I'm Auntie Kiria. Edgeworth is Uncle—you catch the drift."

"She's amassing a new family."

"And you're going to be mommy. Sorry, I kind of influenced that one, but it was either you or Nathan, and he threatened to steal the Nutella from my cupboard if I didn't push the job to you." Kiria thought about the jar of Nutella Klavier had given her as a gift. Nutella was the best creation since peanut butter. And it was chocolatey. "You've got the whole Pearls thing down by now, so I figured you could handle the job. Was I right?"

Maya laughed. "Me? Be a mom? I guess if Nick is the dad, I have a chance at being a decent parent."

"So you admit you're together?"

Maya pushed the attorney. "I plead the fifth."

"Ooh, learning some new law stuff, huh? You do know that the fifth is meant to prevent self-incrimination, and carries a certain degree of guilt, right?"

The spirit medium sent her a dirty look. "I just can't win, can I?"

"Nope. After all, you know what they say. 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder.'"

Maya snorted. "Where do you get these from?"

"I think that was from the fortune cookie last night." Kiria winked. "They're excellent at telling the future."

* * *

**A/N: So, we have an established pairing! Finally! Now I can finally back up the Romance/Crime genre.**

**So sorry that this is late; I just moved into my new dorm! I'm a Duck! And if anyone has any recommendations about living on campus or university life in general, please share!**

**R&R! **


	19. The Translated Turnabout: Part 1

**Chapter Eighteen :: The Translated Turnabout :: Part One**

_Footsteps echoed in the hallway, but he was too tired to acknowledge them. He hadn't realized the amount of work it would take when he'd agreed to sign on as Cohdopia's Ambassador to the United States, and even if he had, he probably wouldn't have turned down the job. He still got all of the perks of the job, plus the previous Ambassador of Babahl was visiting this week, his close friend and former co-worker. The man, a former Chemist before becoming the Ambassador, had insisted that he'd had work he had to complete before going back to the reunited Cohdopia. Even so, it was still great that such a close friend would still come visit after his loss in the elections._

_He rolled over, but there were more footsteps, more than could have been made by just Maks. He rolled back over, sliding out of bed. "Maks?" There was a minute of silence as he approached the door frame, trying to peer into the darkness. The door was shut, preventing him from seeing into the living room where he'd assumed his friend was working. "Maks?"_

_His hand closed around the doorknob and pulled. Green light hit his face from a nearby lantern as the door swung farther open, and he was blinking in disoriented fatigue when the voices came. He couldn't understand a word they were saying, but they sounded American. He was suddenly on his stomach, his hands being restrained behind his back with silver handcuffs. "Maks!" he called out again, concerned for his friend, but there came no answer. "Maksim!" Still nothing._

_He was concerned for his own safety until he saw the black-and-white cars of the police outside. And to his amazement, he was being thrust into the backseat. When he protested, they silenced him._

_He was a prisoner of this country. For the second time that day, Sine Hawkins wished he'd had stayed in Cohdopia._

* * *

Namie Amuro's brassy voice broke into the darkness like an intruder in the night, evoking a groan from the small attorney who owned the device emitting it. She peered at the cell phone screen, hefting her hair back from her ear to answer the ring. "_Moshi moshi,_" she groused. Her eyes searched for the clock on the nightstand before she realized she wasn't in her bedroom, but instead on the couch in Phoenix Wright's apartment. Weeks had passed since Maya's return, but she found herself having frequent sleepovers whenever Trucy insisted. "This had better be good," she threatened the man on the other end of the line.

He chuckled, a throaty sound. _"How long will it take you to get to the airport from where you are?"_

_"_Nathan? I am _not_ traveling anywhere at whatever godforsaken hour you got me up at. What time is it anyways?"

_"Two. I think you want to come with me. Meet me at the airport with three days worth of clothes."_ He sounded confident that she wouldn't fight his commands.

"Are you finally taking me on that vacation you promised me in Cancun?"

_"You'll just have to come see."_ With that, he hung up unceremoniously, trusting that his carrot in front of the horse would initiate her movement.

She rubbed at her eyes, trying to figure out whether she was still dreaming. It was a long minute before she got to her feet, curiosity fueling her movements. Wherever they were going, Kiria hoped it was somewhere warm.

* * *

It was three in the morning when she finally arrived at Los Angeles International Airport. Two pieces of luggage trailed behind her as she walked into the main lobby, searching for Nathan in the ghost of a building. He waved her over to the ticket counter. "You brought your passport?" he asked.

She wordlessly slapped it on the desk for the agent to check and turned to her friend. "Where are we going?"

"Washington DC."

Her mouth twisted into a look of slight distaste. "You couldn't have picked a better vacation spot? New York, yes. DC? Not so much."

"There's the White House. Haven't you ever wanted to see the political landmarks of the country?" He smirked as he said it, guessing what she was about to say.

She had an eyebrow cocked, armed to the teeth with sarcasm. "No, not particularly. Have you even visited the mayor's office here? The White House can't be much more exciting."

He was laughing, and she had no defense. She stuck her bottom lip out in irritation, turning away from him. When he'd finally composed himself again, he patted her shoulder. "Believe me, we'll be doing something other than seeing the White House. I've never wanted to watch politicians work either." He accepted her passport back from the agent, putting one of her bags up on the scale to be checked.

"So, what are we doing?" she asked, sliding her foreign documentation into a plastic bag before slipping it back into her purse. "If we're not going on a tour of historical landmarks, that is."

"You'll see. Come on, Gate 12. They're already boarding the flight. I didn't expect you to take a whole hour to get to the airport."

"Excuse me, but I wasn't at home when you called. Do you know how creepy it is walking around LA at two in the morning?" she snapped back, making her way to the gate. "I'm pretty sure they recommend you don't do that alone."

He grinned. "Unless you're Kiria Nomura, that is."

"That's right." She handed the boarding pass to the staff at the gate and accepted the stub. "Coach? Really?" she asked as she looked at the seat assignment.

"Do you know how much first-class costs?" Nathan replied incredulously.

"It's worth it," she said as she wedged herself into the window seat. "What, we have three hours on this cramped thing?"

"Four."

"You're lucky I remembered my laptop," she growled, leaning her head back against the headrest and closing her eyes.

* * *

Four hours in the sky and the announcement that they were landing soon was music to her ears. Her legs ached and to tell the truth, she hated flying. It left her disoriented for hours afterwards, and she knew she looked like a mess. Beside her, Nathan snoozed peacefully. Damn him and his ability to fall asleep anywhere.

She'd tried to sleep, but the same recurring dream had woken her again. Evangeline Illane was haunting her. Despite the fact that she knew the female crime boss had been executed almost two months before, a shiver still ran down her spine whenever she thought about the trial. So she'd spent most of the flight watching Japanese-subbed episodes of the Korean drama _Winter Sonata_. They were old, but the series reminded her of her sister, when they'd watch the episodes their father had on DVD on lazy days.

She elbowed him as the plane began to land. "Where to, sleepy head?"

He looked at her, still in the stupor of sleep. "Huh?"

"Where are we going?"

"Are we already there?"

"If you mean DC, yeah. We're landing now."

That seemed to wake him up. "We've got to get a cab."

They exited the plane a few minutes later, and Kiria was forced to follow wordlessly after her fellow attorney. He flagged down a cab and as they got in, said, "To the courthouse, please."

She shot him a look. "Are we watching a trial?"

"Yep." When she pressed him for more information, he stayed stubbornly quiet. He didn't say another word until they got out of the cab and walked to the courthouse doors. "You remember the dissertation we had to do before we got our Master's? Where we had to talk to a fully-fledged member of the law profession about a case in a law other than the one we were practicing?"

"Yeah. Why?"

He played with a piece of his hair, trying to flick it the other way. She found it incredibly distracting. "I contacted the Allebahstian embassy because I'd heard they were prosecuting someone involved in the crime ring, you remember?"

"Yeah."

"The major witness in the case was a man named Sine Hawkins, who also happened to be the Ambassador for Allebahst. He didn't speak any English, so I had to use a translator, but he testified against this guy about the smuggling ring."

"So what?" she asked, not quite following his rationale. "Why are we here?"

"Sine Hawkins was arrested last night. I talked to him personally once, and I know there's no way he could have done any crime."

"So, we're here to root him on?"

He shook his head. "He needed a Defense Attorney, so I took it upon myself to—"

"—No, you didn't—"

"—find him a—"

"—don't you dare finish that sentence the way I think you're going to—"

"—an attorney that I know would do the job right."

She glared daggers at him. "I can't do anything! This is International Attorney stuff!"

"Which you just so happen to be." He was pleading now. "Come on, I know he's innocent."

"I can't even talk to him! He can't speak English, and I don't speak Cohdopian!"

Nathan shook his head. "I took the liberty of ordering you the best court translator they have here. It's apparently interrupting his trip to Florida, but he sounded happy enough to do it."

"Nathan!" She groaned loudly. "I don't have anything to wear! You think I packed trial clothing for vacation? The least you could have done was told me beforehand!" She was in panic mode. "I don't know anything about the trial either!"

"Calm down," he soothed, taking her wrists so that her hands didn't flail around and hit harmless passerby. "I'm your co-council for this trial. The judge doesn't know I'm a Prosecutor, and he won't find out. I know a lot about the trial. As for the clothing, we'll figure something out from your luggage. Everything will be okay."

She took a deep breath, trying to still her shaken nerves. "Worst. Vacation. Ever."

He laughed. "I'll take you on a better one soon, deal?"

"Whatever. Let's just get this over with. Where is this guy?"

"Come on." It was a maze farther into the courtroom, and just when Kiria thought there was no chance of her ever escaping from this nightmare, he stopped them at a mostly empty lobby. "Kiria, this is Sine Hawkins, Ambassador from Cohdopia."

She took a deep breath, bowed and offered a hand to the tall, thin man in front of her. He was about a full foot and a half taller than her, cropped sand-colored hair adorning the top of his crown. His thickly rimmed glasses gave him a distinctly academic look, while his clumsily buttoned shirt gave off more the scattered student. He looked tired, as if he hadn't slept in ages. He ignored her hand and stared instead at Nathan. "Price," he said in a heavily-accented voice.

"Nathaniel Price, sir," Nathan said naturally, as if the man understood everything he'd just said.

Sine remained mute.

Nathan looked around quickly. "Is the translator for the Defense here yet?" he asked a nearby aide.

She nodded. "He just arrived. He'll be here in a few minutes. I'll send him this way when he comes in." She bustled off quickly, leaving the three alone.

"Fill me in on the details of the case," Kiria began to plead, but a loud "CRACK" interrupted her sentence.

A woman her age—perhaps a little younger—walked up, wielding what looked suspiciously like a whip. "Please! Tell me this is what the Defense looks like!" She laughed, full of cruel humor. "You will not get in the way of my perfect case!" she declared. "I will defeat you in five minutes!"

"Did I forget to tell you that the Prosecution was Franziska Von Karma?" Nathan whispered into her ear.

If looks could kill, he would have been dead. She turned back to the newcomer, a placid smile on her face. "Miss Von Karma. Your reputation precedes you."

"As it should! No foolishly foolish fool has never heard of the name Von Karma!" She regarded the two attorneys before her. "It should be an honor to even be allowed to stand in the same courtroom as me! To witness my perfect case—something not even Phoenix Wright could do!"

Like normal, arrogance got Kiria in a bad mood. "I doubt this case is your perfect case, Miss Von Karma. Whatever my mentor did, I can carry on his legacy, and that will begin by defeating you in court because Mr. Hawkins is innocent!"

"Hah! As if an amateur such as yourself could ever defeat me!" The whip came up to lightly flick Kiria against the cheek. "A reference to your mentor shows only your inexperience. But pray tell, who is this foolish mentor of yours?"

"Phoenix Wright. And if he could beat you, I wonder what _I_ can do to your 'perfect case'?" She was being unnecessarily cruel, but it felt justified.

Franziska's face colored, but she said nothing more than, "We'll see what happens. See you in court, foolishly foolish fool!" She sauntered off to the other corner of the lobby, but her eyes never left Kiria.

"I forgot how well you make friends," Nathan remarked quietly.

"She started it."

He shook his head. "Hopefully you can back some of that up. We both know that you tend to go above and beyond when bullshitting."

She glared. "Now is not the time to be doubting me." She glanced around, still waiting for the translator. "I need to find something to wear. If the translator comes, call me," she instructed firmly. She wheeled her suitcase into the nearby bathroom and began to hunt through it for something to wear in a courtroom.

* * *

When she came out of the bathroom ten minutes later, she had on a sensible pair of brown knee-length shorts, a white buttoned shirt and a black vest. She'd paired the casual look with the only heels she'd thought to bring; straw wedges. In any case, it wasn't a court-appropriate look, but it was the closest she'd get to proper. She knew Franziska Von Karma was going to capitalize on it in an attempt to attain her "perfect case", but Kiria dared her to try.

She spotted her client and Nathan in the lobby, with another man who had his back to her. He was a little shorter than Nathan's 6'3", but had a stature that made him seem much larger, somehow. It was his stance, she realized. It felt so familiar. When Nathan said something and the mystery man turned around, she understood instantly why.

"Yoshiya!" The word burst out of her mouth as she ran to her older brother, wrapping her arms around him affectionately. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm the translator for this case." He winked at her, a charming grin on his face as he held her out at arm's length. "You haven't grown any taller. What did Mama say about eating your vegetables?" he mock-chided. She replied something in fast Japanese, but it made Yoshiya laugh. "Okay, okay. Back to business. Mr. Hawkins here speaks Cohdopian, which I'm guessing neither of you do." He shook his head regretfully. "What do they teach kids these days?"

Kiria placed her hands firmly on her hips. "Are you getting paid by the hour?"

He chuckled, but opened his arms out as if ready to physically take their questions.

"I need to know what happened. I don't know anything about this case, and we have ten minutes before I go up against Franziska Von Karma."

Yoshiya interacted with the client, using his hands to communicate as much as he was using his words. After a minute, he turned back to them. "He says he was sleeping when he heard a noise out in the room outside. When he went to check what it was, he was arrested. He says he has the warrant, but he can't read it."

"Can we see it?"

After another minute of translation, Sine brought out the arrest warrant from his pocket.

Yoshiya, Kiria, and Nathan all crowded around it. "'Involvement in the Zheng Fa Smuggling Ring?'" she read aloud. "What's that?"

"A few months ago, there was a big fuss about a smuggling ring in which counterfeit bills were being circulated among Zheng Fa using Babahlese ink. The problem was that no one could tell the difference between the counterfeit bills, so the economy began to fall due to inflation. It was just like the government began to print more bills. Value went down, so prices all hiked up. Simple economics, really," Nathan explained. "When the government wised up, they tried to trace the bills they hadn't printed. Interpol was put on the case, and it ended up that the leader in the smuggling ring was the Leader of Allebahst. Since then, they've tried to identify the other smugglers. It looks like poor Sine Hawkins was caught up in the accusations."

"But how do we know he didn't do it?" Kiria pointed out. "We can't just assume he's innocent because you know him."

"No, but we can ask him." Yoshiya turned again to the Cohdopian Ambassador and began to talk with him. After a minute, he turned back to the clueless pair. "He says he wasn't a part of the smuggling ring. He'd never do something like that."

Nathan looked delighted, but Kiria wasn't thrilled with the answer. "Criminals say that as often as innocents. Does he have any proof?"

Another minute of translation, and Yoshiya shook his head. "He just says that nothing should have been in his apartment that would show he was part of the ring. He's pretty stunned, if you want to know the truth, it sounds like he was blindsighted."

"You think he's innocent."

"Do you?"

She studied the man. The last client she'd had was guilty of murder. But there was something about him that just seemed innocent. Chalk it up to inexperience, or maybe it was just that no one else in that courtroom would believe him, but she had the feeling that he was innocent.

"Will you represent him?" Nathan asked hopefully.

She swallowed loudly. She was already in Washington DC, and as she'd already said, it wasn't the best vacation destination. She looked down at the arrest warrant. If she agreed to this, she was flying blind. She hadn't had a chance to look over the case or the evidence. It was probably a bad idea.

"Yeah, I'll represent him. It's not like I can say 'no' ten minutes before the trial anyways. Sine Hawkins, my name is Kiria Nomura, and I'll be your Defense Attorney." She held out her hand, waiting for Yoshiya to finish translating.

Her client hesitantly shook her hand. "_Grazitaime._"

"That's thank you, by the way." Yoshiya translated.

"No way," Kiria said sarcastically. "I hadn't guessed that. Now, if we could get back down to business, we need to enter the courtroom. His Honorable Judge who-ever-this-guy-is is probably already in there and wondering whether the Defense forgot to get out of bed this morning."

Time to go win a trial.

* * *

**A/N: This one's a little shorter than the rest of them, but it seemed too long to post the trial in this one as well. Trial 3 of The First Strike takes place in Washington DC and stars Yoshiya Nomura, Kiria's older brother. Keep posted for more!**

**R and R!**


	20. The Translated Turnabout: Trial 1

**Chapter Nineteen :: The Translated Turnabout :: Trial 1**

The Washington DC courtroom was a lot like the one back in Los Angeles, but the gallery was bigger and packed full of people, paparazzi especially. As soon as she and Nathan entered with Sine and Yoshiya in tow, it seemed like a million flashes erupted at once. They blinded Kiria, and she stumbled on her way to get to the Defense's bench. "I didn't realize this was such a high-profile case," she murmured to Nathan.

"I'd guessed it would be big, but not this big." He waved to one of the cameras and smiled charmingly.

She elbowed him. "You probably don't want too many pictures of you on this side of the courtroom; it might come back to bite you in the ass at home."

"Right." He turned away and sighed. "So much for the '_Epic Prosecutor Defends Cohdopian Ambassador and Wins'_ headlines."

She grinned, but said nothing else.

The Judge came in from his chambers, and everyone rose from their seats.

"This is it." Nathan sounded unusually grave.

Kiria, on the other hand, chuckled to herself. "I guess I should have informed our client that I haven't been in a courtroom since the Evangeline Illane trial."

"I don't know that he'd have cared. Are you okay to be standing here?"

Kiria rolled her eyes. "It's a little late to be asking that. But yes, I am okay. It's been two months, and I need a case. I just didn't think I'd be flying all the way to Washington DC to get one."

"Be seated," the Judge dismissed, and peered at the two newcomers in the room with suspicion. "I wasn't aware Mr. Hawkins had decided on an attorney."

Kiria stood. "The decision was made about five minutes ago, Your Honor. My colleague and I are from Los Angeles, California. We just landed an hour ago." Actually, if she was being honest, it was more like a half hour, but he didn't need to know that. "I have accepted Mr. Hawkins' request for representation."

"And who are you?" he asked, looking through his half-moon glasses.

"I am Kiria Nomura, and this is my co-council, Nathan Price."

"Well, I don't know how they run things in California, but here in DC, we usually give warning before we show up and represent someone." There was no mistake that he was glaring now.

"Talk about a sourpuss," Nathan remarked.

Kiria nodded. "Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

"Now, let's get to this case, shall we?" The Judge looked over his notes. "Ah, Ms. Von Karma. You're quite a welcome sight in the courtroom. Watching you prove Ambassador Alba's guilt was quite entertaining indeed. One can only hope you can do the same to Mr. Hawkins."

Kiria almost slammed her hands down on her desk and objected, but Nathan stopped her before she could. "This is all about wooing the Judge. Play nice, and he'll at least listen to our case," he whispered in her ear.

"He's biased! Did you hear that? He'll throw out the case before we have a chance to even present it!" Kiria hissed back.

"Is something going on over there?" the Judge asked pointedly in their direction. "Perhaps you should share it with the court."

Kiria opened her mouth, but Nathan got there first. "We were merely remarking upon the differences in the proceedings."

"Were not," Kiria grumbled, making sure he couldn't hear.

Nathan quirked a grin as soon as the Judge looked away. "I would advise the Defense to watch Ms. Von Karma in the way she makes her opening statement, then. Ms. Von Karma?" the Judge asked, prompting her beginning of the trial.

"Of course, your Honor." Franziska stood, a manila folder in hand. "As most of the members of this court are aware, the Allebahstian-led smuggling ring led by former Ambassador Quercus Alba has been disbanded for months now following the Ambassador's incarceration. As we followed the trail of the smuggling ring, we found that the trail made a trip to America, and most specifically, to the building where the Cohdopian Ambassador was housed. When we got into his house, we found items that indicated his involvement in the ring, most specifically, a surplus of Babahlese ink."

"What's Babahlese ink?" Kiria asked, meaning for only Nathan to hear it.

"I'm so glad you asked that, Miss Nomura. Of course, one would only suspect ignorance from an attorney that looks like she walked in from a social setting!" Franziska's whip lashed out at the Defense's bench, stopping just short of its intended goal. "Babahlese ink is a special ink only found in the country of Cohdopia. It is known also as Smuggler's Ink, because it is impossible to tell it from normal ink used on most currencies. I present a normal bottle of Babahlese ink as evidence."

"Normal?" Nathan asked. He'd put a hand on Kiria's shoulder, keeping her seated. As long as she couldn't resist the baits Franziska shot her way, she was going to be hard to trust in the courtroom. "Does that mean that you have a bottle that isn't normal in some way?"

Franziska's mouth turned up in a smile. "Indeed. I present a bottle of ink found in Mr. Hawkins' apartment!"

The Judge and the Defense were both given bottles, and Kiria puzzled over the difference. The bottles looked identical. It wasn't until she'd opened the bottle that she realized the difference in sheen. The bottle from the apartment had a beautiful, almost iridescent quality to it, making the normal bottle seem dull in comparison. "What is this?" she asked in wonder.

"The bottles found in Mr. Hawkins' apartment were homemade. You can obviously tell the difference."

"Objection! Shouldn't we be looking for someone that couldn't have brought the ink from Cohdopia then? Mr. Hawkins would have needed nothing more than to write home if he wanted a bottle!" Nathan declared.

Franziska shook her head. "Only foolish fools fail to read the news. When Ambassador Palaeno became the leader of Cohdopia, he outlawed the exporting of Babahlese ink until the smuggling was completely resolved. Therefore, no one could have brought the ink in or out of the country for the last three months!"

"Uh oh," Kiria murmured. "That doesn't look good for our client."

"But how do you know that Mr. Hawkins was the one who made the ink? It's no crime to have the homemade ink in your apartment, is it?" Nathan asked.

"No, Mr. Price. However, we did find the Chemistry set used to make the ink inside Mr. Hawkins' apartment!"

"Were there fingerprints?" Kiria asked. "Again, it's not a crime to have a chemistry set!"

Franziska shook her head wearily. "Such fools. Babahlese ink is not easy to make, and requires certain chemicals that can cause damage to the skin. We found rubber gloves next to the chemistry set. Obviously the defendant wore gloves when he was using the chemistry set." She flicked her whip again, this time successfully hitting Nathan's hand. He yelped and cradled it to his chest as she spoke on. "Anyways, if the Defense will allow me to continue my opening statement. Cross-examination is for the witnesses, might I remind our amateur attorneys."

Kiria simmered quietly, waiting for her turn to object. Franziska waited for another moment, silence echoing around the courtroom, and then spoke on.

"Now, along with the chemistry set and homemade Babahlese ink, we also found printing presses in a thorough investigation of the apartment. It seems as though Mr. Hawkins anticipated the visit from the authorities, since no actual money was found at the scene. However," she said, brandishing her whip as Kiria opened her mouth to object again, "it seems as though he decided to burn quite a bit of it. After all, the lantern at the scene burned green for a good three hours after the defendant was apprehended."

"What does it mean that the lantern burned green?" Kiria hissed at her co-council, making sure this time that Franziska wouldn't hear her.

Nathan shook his head at the Japanese attorney. "Babahlese ink burns green, or so I've heard. I've never actually seen it."

"So she's saying that there was Babahlese ink inside of the lantern for _three hours_ before it burned out?" She wasn't an expert on burning things by any means, but three hours seemed to say to her that there was more in that lantern than trace amounts. "That would have had to mean that there was a lot of it, right?"

"I would guess that's what she's implying. I don't know the combustion rate of Babahlese ink, but I'm guessing it's not that slow."

"I would like to call my first witness to the stand."

The Judge nodded. "I would say that would be a good start. Who would you like to call?"

"The detective on the case, obviously. Shi-Long Lang, you are summoned to the stand!" Franziska's whip gave a satisfying crack against the desk.

* * *

Shi-Long Lang was wolfish. That was all she could really say about him as she stared him down. There was just something about his face that reminded her of the snout of a dog, with his long nose and face. Or maybe it was the hair, resembling two ears stuck straight up like a wolf that hears an unfamiliar sound. Either way, it was hard to listen to his testimony rather than stare at him and try to figure out what it was that evoked the image.

"Hey, sister," was his greeting to Franziska, with a tilt of his head in acknowledgement. "Let's get this over with."

It was by a small fraction that her whip missed his face. "While we are in the courtroom, you will address me with the respect due to a Prosecutor of my caliber!" she snapped. "Now, please state your name and occupation."

"Shi-Long Lang. I'm an Interpol Agent from the Republic of Zheng Fa."

Franziska nodded sharply. "You were the detective on this case, correct?"

"Indeed, sister."

Her whip cracked threateningly against the desk again. A grin spread out over Lang's face, silent rebellion. She glared at him for a full five seconds before moving to her next point. "Tell the court why you apprehended Sine Hawkins."

"You got it." A carnivorous-looking smile spread across his features as he basked in what Kiria supposed he thought of as his "victory." "First of all, it was the Ambassador of Allebahst that was the leader of the smuggling ring. It only makes sense that he would use his diplomat in order to throw us off of the trail. Secondly, we found the ink inside of his apartment, and the printing presses as well. As you should remember, Ms. Von Karma, the printing presses were part of the decisive evidence that pointed out the smuggler in the now-reunited Cohdopia. Finally, he'd had contact with the Republic of Zheng Fa in recent weeks."

The Judge nodded. "Fairly decisive testimony, I would say. Ms. Nomura, if you would?"

"_Crap,_" Kiria murmured to Nathan. "Did you hear anything that we could discredit?"

Nathan shook his head. "Start making stuff up," he invited.

She rolled her eyes, but stood for cross-examination. "Mr. Lang, you mentioned that the Ambassador of Allebahst was the culprit of the smuggling ring. Can you clarify what happened to the court?"

He laughed, sounding more like a bark. "Sis, if you wanted to know more about the smuggling ring, you could have just asked."

"I'd request that you refrain from calling me 'Sis,'" she said, but he ignored her.

"Most everyone knows about the effects that it had on Zheng Fa, but it's pretty unknown what we had to do in order to get Alba to confess. We had to establish that he and Manny Coachen knew each other—"

"Wait. Who is Manny Coachen?" she asked.

Lang looked grim. "Manny Coachen was the secretary of Babahl. He manipulated Colias Palaeno, the current Ambassador of Cohdopia, so far as to print counterfeit bills from the government system. He was a part of the smuggling ring. During the years of separation, he was really the one running Babahl. Unfortunately, he got so good at his job that he wanted the position of leader, so he attempted to give Babahl the supreme authority in the region to set himself up as a puppet king. Alba caught on and killed him, obviously."

"So Manny Coachen was the _real_ leader of Babahl?" Kiria clarified.

"Yeah, I'd say so." Lang nodded.

Kiria smiled. "Then we have an assumption on your part that does not belong in your testimony."

"Ms. Nomura! Explain what you are trying to say! It sounds like you are accusing Mr. Lang of lying in his testimony!" the Judge commanded.

"Oh no, not lying." Kiria shook her head, her dark hair flying like a halo. "Just assuming. After all, Mr. Lang has assumed that because the leader of the group was Allebahstian, that the Allebahstian embassy would be the one that would be smuggling the counterfeit bills!"

"Is this a problem?" Franziska demanded.

Kiria nodded. "Of course. Mr. Lang clearly stated that Mr. Coachen was the one controlling Babahl at the time of the smuggling. Therefore, the chance that the smuggling occurred in the Allebahstian embassy on that supposition would only be a fifty percent chance! The Babahlese Ambassador would have had the same chance!"

Franziska shrugged a shoulder. "Indeed. But the Babahlese Ambassador was not caught with supplies related to the smuggling ring."

"All of the evidence is circumstantial! None of it clearly connects my client to the smuggling ring!"

The Judge shook his head. "I think that explanation is a little too simplistic, wouldn't you say? Let us continue the cross-examination, unless you are finished, Ms. Nomura?"

"No, I'm not." Kiria suppressed a sigh. "Did you see anything?" she asked Nathan.

The male attorney shook his head. "He was a little vague there at the end of his testimony, but that could just be unrelated."

"What do you mean?"

Nathan shook his head. "Nothing really; it's more that Lang didn't specify how they knew he was calling Zheng Fa. I thought it would be Von Karma's style to shove evidence down our throats until we gave up."

Kiria shrugged. "It's the best we have to go with. Watch and learn, rookie." She winked at him before resuming her lawyerly stance. "Mr. Lang, you mentioned that calls to Zheng Fa were made. How did you know that?"

Lang's face spread into a smile, but Franziska looked less than happy. "We dialed in to his phone records, of course. And guess who the last five calls were made to?"

"Do you have a copy of these phone records?"

"You bet." He offered up a single piece of paper. "In the last two months, you can see that there has been sudden calls to Zheng Fa. If that doesn't make him guilty, I don't know what does."

Kiria studied the sheet. Indeed, the last five calls had been, out of the blue, to a Zheng Fa number as Lang had outlined. She scanned the sheet, trying to find an anomaly. If they didn't find a contradiction here, they were over with.

"Objection!" Kiria shouted, suddenly excited. "It's true that the last five calls have been to Zheng Fa. But I find something strange, don't you, Mr. Lang?"

He looked confused. "Other than the Zheng Fa calls? No, not particularly. I think you're grasping at straws, sister."

She glared at him. Even a modicum of respect would be appreciated, not this crap he was giving her now. "I don't. In fact, there's something very strange about the other calls on here that isn't in the calls to Zheng Fa. Isn't that right, Ms. Von Karma?" she asked Franziska. She had the pleasure of seeing the woman stiffen. "Every week, there's another number on here, consistently. Every few days, this number calls, and yet, when the calls to Zheng Fa begin, they stop. Why is that?"

"It's obviously the number of the leader of the ring!"

"Impossible. After all, you yourself said that Ambassador Alba was caught and imprisoned months ago."

Lang shook his head. "Someone had to be giving him orders."

"I disagree with that. There's something on here that suggests otherwise." Kiria tapped the sheet with her index finger, an idle habit she'd picked up. "Do you see it, Mr. Lang?"

He looked at the sheet she presented back to him, and shook his head. "Not a thing."

The Judge was getting impatient. "Ms. Nomura, if you have a point, I'd rather you made it quickly rather than dragging it out."

"Of course, your Honor." Kiria sighed. She wasn't getting to use any of her theatrics. And she'd worked so hard on them too! "The number is a Cohdopian number, obviously."

"What? How can you tell?" Franziska demanded.

"Look at Mr. Hawkins' number printed on the top. It's a foreign number; it doesn't start with 203, which is Washington DC's area code. The area code of the mystery number matches my client's, and therefore must be Cohdopian!"

"383. It is Cohdopian," Nathan confirmed.

"Says the Defense!" Franziska said. "How do we know what it really is?"

Kiria held up her phone. "My phone has internet. Would you like to confirm it?" She made to hand the Prosecutor her phone, but Franziska pushed it aside. "No need. My own has the same information." She pulled out her Cranberry, the newest model of phone to come out from the international carrier. After a minute, she ground her teeth. "The Defense is telling the truth. The area code is Cohdopian."

"Okay, so it _is_ Cohdopian. So what?" Lang challenged.

Kiria swept her hair from her shoulders. "It means that the other phone that was calling Mr. Hawkins was also from Cohdopia. But they stopped calling. Why is that?"

"And why would that be, Ms. Nomura?" the Judge asked dryly.

She'd decided what she would do without consulting her partner. If she was wrong, she'd sink the case. They were at the critical point; they were at the apex of the mountain, swayed by the wind on whether to fall towards the truth or back towards their previous location. "Why don't we ask Mr. Hawkins?"

Nathan elbowed her sharply. This was a huge risk; they were assuming that there would be something in his statement that would reveal a whole new dimension of the case. "Are you sure we should be doing this?" he hissed.

"Do you see any other alternatives? We're kind of up the street without a way to get back."

Meanwhile, Franziska was protesting. "What makes whatever he says the truth?" she asked. "He could easily lie in order to better his position in the court!"

Kiria shook her head. "No, he couldn't. After all, Mr. Hawkins hasn't been able to understand a word anyone has said here. He only speaks Cohdopian, and our court translator is sitting across the room!"

The Judge nodded grudgingly. "I see no reason to keep the defendant from testifying, other than possible irrelevance. The Defense should be advised that should this not pan out, the trial shall be over."

"Understood, your Honor. The Defense calls Mr. Sine Hawkins to the stand."

* * *

Yoshiya accompanied the defendant to the stand. "I would assume you are the court translator for this case?" the Judge asked, staring down through his spectacles.

"Yes, your Honor."

"State your name and occupation."

Yoshiya cleared his throat and shot a hopeful look at Kiria. "Yoshiya Nomura, Translator."

"Nomura?" Franziska objected. "Are the translator and the Defense related?"

"Indeed. Kiria is my younger sister." Yoshiya gave a small smile as Franziska glared at him. "We grew up together. Obviously."

"Objection! The translator is obviously tied to this case through the Defense—"

"—Oh, save it!" Kiria said in exasperation. Franziska opened her mouth to protest at the treatment she was receiving at the hands of the Defense, but Kiria wasn't going to listen to it. "We have a million cameras in this courthouse. If he lies, we'll hear about it in less than two hours. Lying for my sake would be a stupid way to put his career in jeopardy. If it makes you feel better, I'll leave the courtroom during this cross-examination. My co-council can take this cross-ex, right?" she asked Nathan.

"Of course," he answered too quickly.

"That doesn't change anything! He already knows what side to falsify the testimony toward—"

The Judge banged his gavel against the desk, missing the sound block completely. "Ms. Von Karma! Mr. Nomura is a respected member of our court, and has presided as translator for many cases. He is a much renowned translator, and I will not allow you to sully his name as such an unprofessional hooligan!"

Franziska was spluttering her rebuttal.

"Would you rather I left the courtroom, Ms. Von Karma?" she asked.

Franziska nodded curtly. "In order to preserve the _sanctity_ of this courtroom—"

"—Again, save it." Kiria patted Nathan's shoulder. "It's up to you for now. Figure out what happened with that mystery caller. I'm counting on you to keep this case alive." Without another word, but a head nod in respect to the Judge, Kiria exited through the courtroom doors to wait in the lobby.

"Now, let us question the witness," Franziska said promptly. "Mr. Nomura, I will not allow you to lie in this courtroom. I will not allow you to change Mr. Hawkins' testimony. Are we clear?" She cracked her whip in a threat, and he nodded. "Good. Now, ask Mr. Hawkins about the caller on these other occasions."

He collaborated with Sine Hawkins for a second before emerging from their huddle. "He says that they're from his friend Maks."

"Maks?" Nathan interrupted. "Like Maksim Gelrica, the former Babahlese Ambassador?"

"What is this nonsense?" Franziska demanded, whipping him promptly. "What are you babbling about, fool?"

"Maksim Gelrica was Sine Hawkins' Babahlese counterpart when he was the Allebahstian Ambassador," Nathan explained.

Yoshiya nodded. "Yep, that's him. That's our mystery caller; Maksim Gelrica."

"And why did he stop calling?" Nathan pressed. "Please, Mr. Hawkins, we _have_ to know."

Yoshiya consulted again, and after a minute, he laughed. "Mr. Gelrica didn't need to call anymore. He was staying at Mr. Hawkins' house the last two weeks."

Pandemonium erupted in the courtroom.

"Impossible! We didn't find anyone else living in the apartment when we searched it!" Franziska said in disbelief.

Yoshiya nodded. "That's what Mr. Hawkins says. He says that Mr. Gelrica had come to visit him, and was out for a night on the town when Mr. Hawkins was arrested. He says he was worried that something had happened to him, but he couldn't get anyone to understand him in the prison to put a call in to his house."

"Objection!" Franziska said. "Do you have any proof that it happened the way he says it did?"

Nathan glared back at her. "Do you have any proof it didn't happen that way? The Defense requests another day in order to look into Maksim Gelrica. We—I," he corrected quickly, "believe that Mr. Hawkins cannot be sentenced while Mr. Gelrica has the same opportunity to have committed the crime!"

"Objection! Can you really say that Mr. Hawkins was not the culprit? After all, Alba was the leader of the crime ring! Mr. Hawkins would have been the person to pass along the counterfeit bills without higher authority taking notice!"

"Objection! As my colleague proved earlier, Mr. Coachen was running Babahl, officially making Mr. Gelrica guilty under the same specifications!"

"Stop it, you two!" the Judge scolded. "I'll grant the request for another day of investigation. I want to make sure I'm handing down the right verdict, after all." He peered at Nathan. "Pass along my commendations to your colleague, Mr. Price. You owe her for the outcome of this trial."

Nathan nodded generously. "Indeed I do, your Honor."

"Court is dismissed!"

* * *

**A/N: The first day of trial is done! This is the first case that is fully planned out, and incidentally, it should be shorter than Turnabout International (if only because it's only one trial, not two). In addition, I'm going to start replying to my comments on here, and hopefully a response should invigorate more of you to comment!**

**Psykit: Thank you so much for your praise! It's really too much! Hopefully I can keep you enchanted to the story! Thank you so much for your comment!**

**R&R!**


	21. The Translated Turnabout:Investigation1a

**Chapter Twenty :: The Translated Turnabout :: Investigation :: Day 2a**

Kiria sat in the lobby, fingers crossed and eyes shut tight, like a child wishing for a pony on Christmas Eve. Oh god, she hoped she hadn't just screwed everything over in there for Nathan. If she had, he was sitting in there in hot water as their case boiled over. She found that sitting out here in high hopes was nerve wracking. Every scenario she could think of was playing out in her head, all ending with her client receiving a guilty verdict.

She sat back, trying to hear through the door what was going on in there. The door was solid wood, and gave no hints.

By the time everything resolved itself and Nathan came out of the courtroom, she was pacing back and forth across the carpet. "How—?"

"We got another day." He smiled as her face lit up childishly. "The Judge was pretty impressed with you, by the way. He says to send his regards. Speaking of which, how did you even notice the numbers?"

She grinned. "It's a Defense Attorney thing. What happened in there?"

He walked her through the rest of the trial, including the information they'd learned about Maksim Gelrica. "Apparently he was staying in the apartment with Sine, which makes him Suspect Number One," he concluded.

"Or a scapegoat, if we get in over our heads tomorrow. What do you think about the whole thing? It seems kind of weird to me. The evidence is all perfect, save the phone records. It's impossible to tell either way who was involved in the ring." Kiria shook her head. "The investigators must have missed _something_."

"Maybe not all of the evidence was presented at the trial?" Nathan asked. "After all, we didn't get to see anything at the scene. There's got to be more there that Von Karma just couldn't use."

Kiria nodded. "Right. How did she fare, back there? The Judge didn't look pleased with her when she started talking against Yoshiya."

"She never really regained favor. I think that's another reason why we got the extra day so easily. If she had been in his good graces, I doubt we would have gotten it short of a fight in the courtroom." He chuckled at the thought. "Anyways, why don't we go pick out a hotel and then scope out the scene? Yoshiya's got to go back with Sine Hawkins as a translator, so we won't see him again until we go to the Detention Center."

"Where is that?" Kiria asked.

Nathan whipped out a map. "Yoshiya marked it for me, as well as some good hotels. On the other hand, you don't want to be on the receiving end of Ms. Von Karma's—ahem—weapon." He rubbed his jaw. "So, shall we?" He held his arm out for her to link hers through, and together they exited the courtroom, victors of the battle, but not yet the war.

* * *

"A Four Seasons? Your brother gives me a list of hotels, and the Four Seasons is at the top of it? How much does he think I have?" Nathan asked incredulously.

Kiria couldn't suppress a giggle. "He knows I'm not staying in another one of those crappy Motel 7s or whatever they're called. I'll pay for the hotel; don't have an aneurysm."

"I've never even been _in_ a Four Seasons, let alone stayed in one!" He shook his head, elation crossing his face. "Are we really staying there?"

She nodded. "Of course. Why wouldn't we? We're not going to stay in a suite or anything, obviously, but—"

"Why not?"

She rolled her eyes. "Because I'm not a cash dispenser and we're not going to be spending much time in the room. We're going to get something simple. And room service," she compromised when he looked disappointed. "We'll order breakfast in, deal?"

"Deal!" He laughed as he attempted to hail a cab. "Am I even doing it right?" he asked as a yellow car drove right by.

She shrugged. "I don't know." Like she'd done much hailing cabs in LA!

After another minute of this, he sighed. "I'm getting a rental car."

"You're paying for it."

He nodded. "It's better than sitting out here for three hours trying to find a taxi though."

She raised her hand, mimicking his earlier actions, and a cab in transit pulled over to the side of the road to where they stood. "I don't think you were doing it right," she concluded.

She couldn't help but smile when he spluttered angrily.

* * *

The hotel was spacious, with its marble floors (although she had to convince Nathan that they weren't made of ivory or something equally ridiculous) and large welcome desk. "May I help you?" the woman in attendance asked, still looking at her computer. When she looked up a moment later, a shocked look skated across her face. "M—Miss Nomura!"

"Are you a regular or something?" Nathan asked. Kiria, completely dumbfounded about how this woman knew her, shook her head.

The woman tutted. "Of course you are! You just checked out a few days ago, though. I thought you said you were off to Paris for fashion week?"

"'Fashion Week'?" Nathan asked skeptically.

It was all making sense to Kiria. "Oh! You think I'm Mariko!"

The clerk was confused. "You're not Ms. Mariko Nomura? But . . . you look just like her!"

"No, I'm not." Kiria shook her head, a smile playing over her features. "Mariko is my older sister. I'm Kiria Nomura, International Attorney at Law." She held her hand out for the woman to shake. "I forgot that Mariko comes here frequently. Probably how Yoshiya knew of this place."

"Ah, yes, Mr. Nomura! He's also a frequent customer, although his schedule is never regular. The Four Seasons is honored to have another Nomura at our fine establishment." She smiled at the duo for another minute before staring at Kiria again. "I swear, you two look so alike though! It's just like . . . you have shorter hair than her, and of course she has her daughter, but . . . you look like you could be the same person!"

It had been a while since she'd been mistaken for her sister, but she could feel herself slipping into the same silly smile she had whenever it happened in Japan. "No, she and I will both quickly tell you that we're different people."

"I was so sure when you walked up wearing her _Purimabera_ collection, but . . ." the Hotel hostess shook her head to clear it before returning to business. "What can I help you with?"

"We need a room with two beds. Nothing big, just something to call home for the next few days. We're here on a case, and just need somewhere to sleep."

"Indeed. Let me check availability . . . we have a room open. Let me just check that out to you." The next few minutes were spent between the two women negotiating and checking pricing. "Here you go; Room 1208. The elevators are right down the hallway, and I'll have someone come get your luggage."

"No need," Nathan assured her. "We can get it, no problem. We're in a bit of a hurry, you see."

"But I . . ." Her voice trailed off as the two attorneys promptly picked up their luggage and walked into the hallway toward the elevator.

* * *

The room was on the twelfth floor. "I regret not taking the elevator now," Nathan panted as they dragged their luggage up another flight of stairs.

"I didn't think it was that bad," Kiria said, trying to roll her bag up one of the steps and failing. "The elevator would have been much faster. Or even better, the steward doing this. But _nooooooo_, you had to insist that we take our luggage up ourselves."

"Stop complaining and let's get up these stairs," he merely snapped.

Another five minutes of struggling, and they were finally standing in front of their room. "Let's see what we got," Nathan murmured as Kiria opened the door.

The room was spacious, for a hotel room. Then again, he was used to staying in Motel 7s, where if he laid along the floor, he could touch each wall with his hands and feet. This had a small kitchenette, a living area, and a single bedroom. "There's only one bed in here," he announced. He didn't mind sharing a bed (after all, they'd done it before), but he had a feeling that she'd protest.

"The couch pulls out into a bed."

"And I can guess who gets that," he said dourly.

"The one who didn't pay," she said sarcastically. "You pay, you get the bed." She came in and collapsed on top of the fluffy comforter, giggling when it collapsed around her after being thrown in the air by her weight.

"Whatever. I'm going to change out of these clothes." He indicated to the wrinkled dark shirt and tie he was wearing. "I can't believe you didn't anticipate a trial after seeing what I was wearing on the airplane."

She glared at his retreating back as he went into the living area where his suitcase was. "If you'd told me straight out, I wouldn't have had to anticipate on crappy clues." Despite that, she opened her own suitcase. "Do you know where Sine Hawkins' apartment is?"

"Yep. Yoshiya also marked that on the map. As soon as we're ready, we're off."

* * *

They emerged from the building ten minutes later in decidedly more comfortable clothing. Kiria had called ahead for a cab, and as they climbed in the back, her mind was centered completely on the case. Nathan gave the driver directions, and they sped away in true Washington DC fashion.

She opened her mouth to talk to him about the case, but he interrupted her. "So, who's Mariko again?"

She rolled her eyes. "Typical. Mariko's my _onee-san_. She's a fashion designer, so she travels all around the world in search of new designs. Apparently she's in DC a lot. I know DC used to have fashion week, but I don't know when."

"Oh yeah, I remember you telling me about her! I never got to meet her though. Isn't she the one with the child?"

Kiria nodded. "Yeah, she's got Kimiko-_chan_. Why do you ask?"

He shook his head. "I just remembered the name, and I couldn't remember who it was. You used to be really close, right?"

"We still are." She sighed in relief as the cab braked in front of an apartment complex. "Can we get back to the case now?"

"Yeah, sure." He got out of the cab and offered her his hand to help her out, but she ignored it and stepped out gracefully. Cool June air whipped around her, sending her coat tails flying. "Apparently there's a trail of yellow tape to Mr. Hawkins' apartment. Shall we follow the yellow tape road?" he joked. She rolled her eyes and settled her trench coat around her. With arms crossed obstinately over her chest, she resolved to find the case-breaking piece of evidence the first time around the crime scene.

* * *

"No question that this crime scene hasn't been completely picked through," Nathan murmured as they surveyed the scene with sudden dread. It looked like forensics had literally taken a sample of everything. There were uniform patches cut out of the couch and even a piece of a table leg was missing. "Do you think they took some of the fish bowl water?" He pointed to a large fish tank with a few small goldfish and some blue fish that she couldn't identify.

"Probably. Where do we even start?" Kiria asked in despair. It reminded her of standing outside of Dwayne Rockweiler's apartment, unable to even proclaim whether he was alive or dead.

Nathan shrugged. "What stands out to you?"

"Other than the fish tank?"

"Unless you think there's a clue in there." His voice was sarcastic, but not biting; after all, he wasn't used to trying to find evidence to proclaim innocence, only guilt.

She looked around the room carefully. "Maybe we should just look around for anything that seems out of place?"

"As good of a place to start as any," he responded. "I'll start over here, and you can look over on that half?"

She nodded and began to investigate.

In its normal state, the apartment would have been seen as a nice apartment. It had all the makings of an excellent home, complete with a flat-screen TV and leather couch. She crouched down toward the collection of DVDs he had stacked next to the 60-inch. "Looks like he was a fan of the classics," she commented out loud as she reviewed the titles.

"Some good ones in there?" Nathan asked.

"Who knows. I can't even read the titles. It was called sarcasm." She leafed through them, staring at the covers in vain. "I don't recognize the front of any of these either. They must be Cohdopian specials."

"I took a little bit of Cohdopian in college. Let me see." He nudged her over as he knelt next to her. "'_The Lady . . . with the Koi Piercing'? _ I don't even think some of these are worth watching."

"Who gets a Koi piercing?" Kiria muttered as she poked around more. "Hey, do you think this is the lantern they referenced during the trial?" she asked, uncovering the steel light as she opened a nearby cupboard.

Nathan looked over her shoulder. "Huh. It's certainly pretty. Look at the detail carved into the butterfly." He pointed to the side, where a butterfly silhouette was carved out.

"Look at this flower. It's almost like a real flower was carved out of it." Kiria's fingers traced the cutout. "Look inside!" she gasped as she peered into the bottom. Little flicks of dark paper anointed the base, giving off a slightly burnt smell.

"My boy scout training tells me it was recent." Nathan sniffed at the remains. "I'll bet you anything that this was the lantern."

"It burned green, right? In response to the Babahlese ink?" She'd been expecting to see some green somewhere in the bottom, but there was no trace.

Nathan nodded. "Von Karma alleged that Sine Hawkins burned the bills that he had in this lantern. It looks plausible, if nothing else."

"Hey! What are you two doing here?" The voice was familiar and made chills run down of both attorneys' spines.

"Shifu! Should I detain them?" A subordinate asked. Kiria turned slowly, not wanting to see the wolfish face staring back at her with an angry expression. She'd really hammered into him during the cross-examination this morning. Now Lang, as the lead detective on the case, could punish them in whatever way he liked.

Lang shook his head. "No. But I would like to see what they are doing with my crime scene." He peered into the middle of their huddle. "Ah, that lantern, huh? Hah, like you could get any more information out of it than we did. It proclaims guilt upon Sine Hawkins as clear as day!"

"Were there fingerprints?" Nathan asked.

"Well, no, but—"

"What about written confessions?" Kiria pressed.

"No, but—"

"Ooh, I know! Did Sine Hawkins confess to the smuggling?"

Lang refused to even say anything. They were just poking fun at him now.

Kiria placed a finger on her chin thoughtfully. "You know, how did they know for sure that there was Babahlese ink burned in here?" she asked, thinking aloud.

"There was eyewitness testimony from the arresting party," Nathan reminded her.

"Yeah, but was there any evidence to back it up with? _Solid_ evidence?"

Lang snorted. "Of course, sister. My people do their jobs right the first time." He pulled out a small spray bottle and twisted the nozzle so that it read 'ON'. "One of the properties of Babahlese ink is that it makes use of the compound Potassium Dichromate. Unfortunately for them, Potassium Dichromate residue sticks everywhere, and can be easily found if you spray a little bit of standard alcohol on it." He sprayed, and the formerly dark lantern started to glow with an ominous artificial green.

"Wow . . ." Kiria murmured.

"What? They don't make you American attorneys take basic forensics? This is simple Chemistry; any bum can do this." Lang laughed at their fascination.

"Can I have that bottle?" she demanded.

Lang shrugged. "Sure, sister. But you're not going to find any more evidence than I did with it. My men are the best there are." He gestured at the men standing behind him.

"Shifu! You're so kind!" one of them called out among the small throng, and the rest quickly agreed.

"Anyways, if you want this, here." He tossed the bottle to Nathan, and the man caught it quickly.

"Where's Maksim Gelrica?" Nathan asked.

Lang shook his head. "No one's seen him. Your guy probably just needed a way out and knew that having another possibility was a one-way street to getting another day of the trial."

Kiria pursed her lips over this new information. They needed to find evidence that he had at least been in the apartment, or else their whole case went down in smoke. Not for the first time since she'd accepted the case, she felt the familiar feeling in the pit of her stomach that made her question whether Sine Hawkins was guilty. Hell, she'd known Reiko Horiyama for ages, and never dreamed that the woman was part of _Kronos_! "Thank you, Detective."

"Agent. Lang Zi says 'Call a man by his own name, and he will continue to come. Call him by another, and you will soon lose him'." Lang recited. He turned to his men. "Let's move out!" As he waited for them to file out, he turned back to the attorneys. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not helping you. I'm trying to restore my country's economy, nothing more. If the man responsible goes to jail, it is a victory. If we accuse the wrong man, he could be forever free." Without another word, he put his head down and exited the room.

Kiria stared after him. "What a strange guy," Nathan said in awe.

Kiria turned back to him and looked at the bottle he'd contributed to their investigation. "Well, strange or not, he's given us the tools to look around more thoroughly. Let's get back down to business."

Nathan took the spray bottle, while Kiria began to search the cupboards again. After another few minutes, she was staring into a flask of bright green liquid. "What's this?"

Nathan opened the cabinet next to it, revealing the rest of the technical equipment. "I think . . . this must be the chemistry set they talked about. See, here's the gloves Von Karma mentioned." He gingerly picked them up, staring at the standard yellow rubber gloves. "You couldn't get prints off of these if you tried. There's nothing for the powder to stick to."

"Look at the shelf below it," she prodded.

Nathan picked up the small laptop from its home. "You think there's something on it?" he asked dubiously.

"Why would there be two computers for a guy who lives alone?" She pointed at the laptop sitting on the table next to the couch. "One of these has to be Gelrica's. Open it!"

He opened it, and although it was off, something struck him as strange. "Hey, the keys are different from the ones sitting over there!"

"That is a Cohdopian keyboard, I'll bet my badge on it. This one has a QWERTY keyboard, while the other one has the CVWKIB keyboard used in some small European countries." Kiria smiled. "I'll bet that this one is Maks's computer. After all, it can't switch into Cohdopian symbols, making it useless for Sine Hawkins." She pressed the power button and watched as it booted up. "See, it's even in English. Our client wouldn't have, and couldn't have used this keyboard!"

Nathan opened his mouth to respond, but the door swung open before he could make a sound. They stood, Kiria clutching the evidence against her chest.

"Who are you? And what are you doing to my computer?"

* * *

**A/N: Again, another shorter chapter, but I didn't want to get into anything else and have a super long chapter. Besides, you guys have waited long enough for this one!**

**The reaction between Potassium Dichromate and Ethanol (alcohol) is a real reaction; it's used in breathalyzers. Motel 7s are a play off of Motel 6. And there is no such thing as a CVWKIB keyboard. It would be kind of cool though!**

**Blaze: Thank you so much for your praise! I'll try to keep up so that you can continue to enjoy the story!**

**Psykit: Haha, I don't know that I can agree about it being all good, but I'd love some more people to review! Thank you so much! As long as you keep reviewing, I'll keep giving you kudos in the A/N! Haha, thank you for being patient as I continue to write this! I hope you're enjoying this as much as I'm loving writing it!**

**R&R and you too could get your questions answered! And cupcakes full of snacky happiness (blatantly stolen from Super Mario Galaxy)!**


	22. The Translated Turnabout:Investigation1b

**Chapter Twenty-One :: The Translated Turnabout :: Day 2 :: Investigation 2b**

"Who are you?" the mystery man repeated. "I'll call the cops, I swear I will! If you're trying to rob me—"

"No, no!" Nathan finally articulated, still stunned. "We're Defense Attorneys. You . . . you're Maksim Gelrica!"

"Yeah. What about it? And what do you mean, you're Defense Attorneys. God, the weirdos that come in and out of Sine's apartment," he started muttering.

Kiria stared at him for a minute. The former Babahlese Ambassador to the United States was very tall, much like Sine was. In fact, if she squinted, they looked very much alike. They had the same hard jawline and neat features all assembled on an alabaster face. He wore a blazer—one that she could tell was high price—over a pair of casual blue jeans and a white tee. All in all, Maksim Gelrica looked like he was perfectly assembled: a Ken doll dressed by a fashion-conscious teenager. "We're Attorneys employed by Sine Hawkins. He's currently on trial for assisting a Zheng Fa smuggling ring," she explained, drawing herself up to her full height and staring at him straight in the eye. She wouldn't have dared do that in normal situations; it was impolite at the least. But she had to watch him carefully, try to ascertain whether or not he'd implicated a man completely innocent of the crime with his own actions. "Can we ask you a few questions?"

"Sine's in trouble over that smuggling ring? Dude, they've got to have the wrong guy. He'd never do anything like that. If it'll get him off the hook, I'll answer anything you ask me." Maksim shrugged a shoulder and stared at her right back.

"Where have you been? The police have been trying to contact you for a few hours now, and the scene has been monitored carefully."

He looked up, a slight blush anointing his cheeks. "Last night, I went out for a night on the town. DC's got some pretty awesome nightlife, if you know what I mean." He looked at the looks on their faces. "I'll guess you don't know. The city's lousy with pretty girls who just want to have some fun. I asked Sine if he wanted to come, but he said no. So, I went out. I, uh, stayed over at a girl's last night. I just now got back here."

"Do you have the girl's name?" Nathan asked quickly.

"Yeah. It's Lea. I don't know what her last name was, but you could probably find her if you hit the night scene. She's pretty spectacular, you know." He chuckled, obviously pleased with his own efforts. "Speaking of names, I don't think I caught yours."

"I'm Kiria Nomura, and this is Nathan Price. Is this your computer?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I have to do some work while I'm here. I leave next week, and I've got a big conference to go to." He smiled reassuringly. "There's not really much on there." His hand reached out for it, but Kiria kept it close to her.

"Would you mind if we kept it for a little bit? We won't pry too much; we just need to make sure there isn't anything on here that could implicate your friend. He _is_ your friend, right?"

"Of course!" Maks seemed shocked she would even ask the question. "I mean, we've had our ups and downs, but hey, Sine's the best friend a guy could have."

"Is there anything you could tell us about him? What he did before he became an Ambassador or anything?"

Maks laughed. "If you wanted some dirt, you could have just asked. Sine was a Poli-Sci major in college, and he worked under Alba for a while. Alba nominated him as Ambassador, and you can guess the rest."

"So he wouldn't know anything about chemicals or synthesis?" Nathan asked for clarification.

Maks shook his head. "He told me he'd taken Chem in High School or something like that, and completely failed it. The guy can't even cook, for God's sake. Anything science-y and Sine kind of falls apart at the seams."

"You seem to know a lot about that," Kiria observed.

Maks nodded. "I'm a Chemist. There was a push for non-government officials as Ambassadors when Babahl was just starting out, so I ran for Ambassador. Palaeno nominated me straight off."

"So is the Chemistry set yours?" she asked, motioning to the cupboard.

Maks nodded. "Yeah, I had an experiment set up, but then Sine asked if he could use it really quick. I don't know what he did with it; I figured he wanted to get into Chemistry and show me something he'd learned here, but I never heard any more about it."

Nathan and Kiria exchanged glances, but each gave a shrug. "I would recommend talking to Agent Lang; he's the main detective on the case. We'll give your laptop back to you soon. I just want to make sure there's no evidence on it, okay?"

"But . . . I have work on there! Data that can't be deleted!" Maks protested. "I'd rather you didn't touch it."

Kiria sighed, shooting Nathan a meaningful glance. Taking the hint, he walked to the other side of the room with the lantern. "Actually, I'd like to ask you about this really quick; it's very pretty. Do you know . . ." his voice droned on as Kiria inserted her flash drive into the USB drive of the laptop. If he wasn't going to let her investigate his laptop, she was at least going to take a look in his documents.

It took a quick minute to copy the few files on the computer to the flash drive. By the time Maks looked back at her, she was lifting it to give back to him, the drive safely in her pocket. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience any of this has caused you. Again, talk to Agent Lang, and he'll have more questions for you. If you think of anything, just call." She pulled a business card out of her pocket and put it on top of the laptop. She looked at Nathan. "I believe it's time to take a stage left," she suggested pointedly.

"You got it. We'll be going now, Mr. Gelrica."

"Please, call me Maks. I just know that Sine's innocent; please, prove him to be!"

Nathan and Kiria nodded as they exited the apartment.

* * *

"What was that for?" he asked as they took the stairs down to the street. "There was loads more evidence in there!"

She rolled her eyes. "Pace yourself. We have two leads; a woman named Lea and some files from his laptop. I want to see if we can't get Lang to confiscate it, but as long as we have the files, we can take a good look. And we need to ask our client what he was doing with the Chemistry set."

"Okay, so what now?"

"We confirm his alibi. Let's see if we can't get any information about Lea."

They found themselves back at the hotel with laptops open. As Nathan skimmed through the files, Kiria ran the terms "Lea, Washington DC" through a search engine. "Finding anything?" he asked after ten minutes.

"Not really. I'm finding a lot of Dr. Leas, but no one named Lea." She sighed. "I wish he'd given us a little more information!"

"Well, I found something in his files, believe it or not."

Kiria slid onto the couch next to him. "What is it?"

"It seems like our good friend Maksim Gelrica is an expert on the composition of Babahlese ink."

"Which means that he's a perfect culprit to have been involved in the smuggling ring." Kiria played with her bracelet absentmindedly as she pondered that. "I wonder why they arrested Sine instead of Maks? I mean, he's the perfect culprit. He's got the knowledge, the means, and a possible motive. What did Lang see in Sine?"

"Well, remember. Lang didn't even know that Maks existed until the trial this morning. There's no way he could have anticipated Maks would be the real smuggler. I think that he's beginning to catch on, though. Remember what he said earlier?"

"That he just wanted to catch the right guy?"

"Exactly." Nathan nodded. "I think he was referring to Maksim Gelrica as the culprit."

"Either way, it's pretty obvious that he's now doubting that Sine is the real smuggler." Kiria sighed, placing her head in her hands. "I think we need to have a good chat with our friend the Agent, but I don't know where to find him."

Nathan linked his fingers together and stared at them for a long moment. "Do you have any misgivings about Maks being the wrong guy though?"

"You do?" There was an element of surprise in her voice that he hadn't anticipated.

"Well, yeah. I mean, he just candidly parted with the major facts in the case. He's got all of the evidence pointing to him, and he doesn't even know it. There's just a lack of discretion there that makes me doubt his involvement."

Kiria thought about that. Indeed, he had just handed them the golden keys to the case. There had to be a catch somewhere. "Let's talk to Sine. Maybe he's got an opinion on this."

* * *

It took almost an hour to round Sine _and_ Yoshiya up together in the same room. Kiria was muttering something about never using a translator again when Yoshiya finally showed up. "Sorry about that," he said, tousling his sister's hair. "I got caught up in some sort of testimony. Apparently, they've found Maksim Gelrica."

Kiria rolled her eyes. "We could have told you that. He came back while we were investigating. In fact, he's the one we want to ask him about." Her head inclined toward her client. "He said some stuff we need to confirm."

"Is he still your primary suspect?" Yoshiya asked, purely out of interest.

She nodded. "We've only got one more name that we don't even know exists yet. If it's not him, it's got to be our client, and I'm hoping that doesn't happen to me two times in the last two cases."

Yoshiya nodded. She'd filled him in on what had happened in the Reiko Horiyama case, and he knew that this wasn't just a battle of innocence. This was an attempt to regain her pride. As a highly-televised case, this could reignite her career as an attorney. "Start asking questions."

"I need to know absolutely anything he can tell me on Maks Gelrica and what he's been doing the last week."

Yoshiya consulted with Sine for a moment, and then turned back to the two attorneys on the other side of the table. "He says it's been mostly a social visit. He's been gone a lot for his duties as Ambassador, so he doesn't really know what's going on when he's not there. You should know that he also vouches for Maksim's innocence."

Kiria and Nathan exchanged glances. "If it's not Maks, I don't know who it is. We have no other names."

"We have one," Nathan reminded her.

Kiria shook her head. "As an alibi! If Maks is innocent, then obviously Lea is too!"

"Lea?" The name burst out of Sine's lips, and then he was saying something in rapid Cohdopian.

"What's he saying?" Nathan demanded, but Yoshiya silenced him.

Eventually, Sine's exclamation died down, and Yoshiya was able to translate. "He knows a Lea. She was his ex-girlfriend, back in Cohdopia. But it sounds like she's still in Cohdopia; she can't be a suspect from so far away."

"Coicidence?" Kiria asked Nathan.

He shook his head, a small smile on his face. "I don't think so."

"I think we need to hit the DC nightlife tonight. Let's talk to this Lea in person, hm?"

He nodded. "We also want to know about the Babahlese ink. Where did it come from?" he asked Sine.

After another minute of translation, Yoshiya nodded in understanding. "He doesn't really know. It came with Maks, and he figured that it was Maks's, since Maks was the one who experiments on it."

"Which is how he could get it into the country. He could claim to need it for work, and he could probably get past the restrictions on it," Nathan guessed.

"What about the lantern?" Kiria asked.

Sine shook his head. "He's had it in his house for a long time. It's an artifact of before Allebahst and Babahl had reunited."

There was a silence as everyone attempted to synthesize more questions. It wasn't like their client was hiding anything from them this time; there was just a whole lot of things that didn't make sense.

"I think there's one more thing that really bugs me," Kiria murmured slowly. She studied Sine's face for any change in expression as she asked, "What were the calls to Zheng Fa for?"

It had stood out to her yesterday. She hadn't heard the end of the controversy, but it didn't change the original problem. There had suddenly been five calls to Zheng Fa on his phone records, and it hadn't been explained away, only put on the back burner.

"He says that it's about Lea. He'd put in an order to get a wedding ring made, but when their relationship ended, the makers in Zheng Fa refused to cancel the order. He'd been calling every day that week, trying to get them to cancel the order." Yoshiya sighed, shaking his head. "I think the only way to confirm that would be to call them."

"Franziska Von Karma won't take that as evidence." Kiria gave the same tired sigh. "It's got to be obvious for her, or she'll fight it tooth and nail."

"Sounds like someone else I know," he teased.

"The difference is that I don't hit my opponents with a whip." She played with her necklace, suddenly wishing for a new lead. "I guess the only thing we've got is on this Lea. We'll have to go on that, for now." She rose, and Nathan copied her movements. "Thanks, Yoshiya. You've helped out a lot."

"How's the trial going to go? Just so that I can tell him if he's going to be proclaimed guilty instantly upon reentering court tomorrow."

"It could go either way. If we don't find Lea, we're screwed. We have no actual proof to tie Maks to the crime. We need something decisive."

Yoshiya nodded in understanding. "Good luck tonight. If I remember correctly, you were always fond of clubbing." He winked before giving his younger sister a hug for support and shaking Nathan's hand.

Kiria grinned. "Let's go ask Maks where he went last night. After all, we do need to get to bed at a normal time if you want breakfast in the morning." She linked her arm though Nathan's as they went to go call another cab.

* * *

He hadn't been able to recall exactly, but he did remember he'd hit one called _Bar21_ on the east side of the city. Kiria thanked her lucky stars that she hadn't known that there was a trial, otherwise she wouldn't have brought clothing appropriate for this expedition. She was slipping into her wedge heels as Nathan entered the bedroom, dressed to kill. He looked sharp in a dark collared shirt and slacks. A white opalescent tie topped off the look, giving him a classy look. The same, they both hoped, that Maks Gelrica would have given off last night.

"You look nice," he remarked as she stood. She wore a little black dress she'd worn back in college, and it had been a huge hit back then. Different heels would have made a better statement, but she didn't have any, and it gave the outfit a bit of a summery flair anyways.

She suppressed a smile. "And you're dressed so that if Lea turns you down, she's definitely not straight." She cocked an eyebrow coyly and laughed when he rolled his eyes.

"That's when we send you in."

She chuckled and grabbed her silver clutch. "Come on, let's go get into our mysterious Lea's apartment."

As they got in the cab, he leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Do you think she'll even be there? After all, if she isn't, our case goes down. We can't prove or disprove anything."

She shook her head. "Worst case scenario, we take a picture to the bartender and ask if he's seen her. But I have a feeling she'll be there."

"Why?" He slid an arm around her shoulders, trying to make their conversation seem normal to the cab driver.

"Well, think about it. All of our evidence points to Maks Gelrica. If he's not it, then someone's framing him. But if it is, this is just an amateur crime. He won't realize that not having an alibi will break our case, because most of the time, not having an alibi is what buries people. Besides, he doesn't know what we know; we could have been in that apartment for hours before he got back. He's trying to cover his ass now." She mused over the awkward case details. "It'll be interesting, to say the least, what we find out about Lea." The cab rolled to a stop, and they got out together. "Show time. Let's step into our roles and play them to the hilt."

He grinned. "Just like old times, huh?"

"Not quite. But I think I can still pretend to be someone else." She pulled her clutch closer to her and nodded her farewell as she stepped past the bouncer (whose eyes, if Nathan had seen him correctly, had almost fallen out of his head at the sight of the showstopping young Japanese woman walking past him with an angelic smile).

The heat was cloying. The music threatened to burst her eardrums.

God, how she'd missed this!

She could tell he was thinking the same as he entered behind her. "Go find yourself a nice boy and settle down, alright? I'm going to wander the floor and see if any of these lovely ladies," he paused as he admired one exceptionally busty woman walking past him, "are Lea."

She suppressed the urge to laugh. "Just don't get distracted."

They parted ways here, Nathan stopping in the nearest throng of girls and Kiria walking to the other side of the room to playfully flirt with the men over there.

It was partway through her second cocktail (that, of course, someone else had bought for her as she entertained his conversation) that she saw him again, this time on the arm of a very attractive girl. She was whispering in his ear, and suddenly, her phone vibrated. A capital L. This was Lea. She excused herself and went up to the bartender. "What can you tell me about that girl?" she shouted above the noise.

"Lea? She's new here, but she's already a regular. Goes home with a different man every night. I doubt that she'd say no to you though, darlin'." He winked at her, and she rolled her eyes and sipped at her cocktail.

A man came up to her side and ordered a vodka on the rocks. "You're asking about Lea?"

"What do you know?" She looked up at him through her eyelashes, very conscious that seduction was her best weapon to get information in here.

He nodded at the pair. "She left last night with some guy she knew. Pretty over-theatrical, if you ask me. They were acting like they were going to go to bed together, but it was too obvious, you know?" He shrugged. "She's went home with a lot of guys though. Says she's single and happy to be. A five-cent whore, in my opinion. Or a foreigner too excited to be on vacation."

"You seem to know a lot about her."

"I've talked to her some." He looked down at her now-empty cocktail glass. "What are you drinking?"

"Whatever you recommend." She smiled and put the glass on the bar. "This is my first time here, so I'm not familiar with the house specials."

"Where are you from?" he asked with a kind smile.

"Los Angeles."

"Oh, then you've got to have something with Everclear."

"Everclear?" She'd had some Everclear in California, and wasn't sure why this was so important. However, he was already ordering her a cocktail. Once she'd taken her first sip, it was immediately obvious why it was so different. The alcohol hit her like a freight train.

"190-proof. It's illegal to sell in California, but in DC, we can have all we want." He raised his own drink to hers in a toast, and drained his glass.

Hurriedly, she texted Nathan again. _'Get her a cocktail with Everclear.'_ He would probably be confused by it, but if he trusted her by any degree, he'd do as she said. She took another drink of her own cocktail. "It's certainly strong."

"Strong is a word for it."

They continued on with friendly banter, and she didn't realize she'd drained her glass until it was empty. He ordered her another cocktail, and her eyes searched for Nathan and Lea again. They were at the bar again, and she had a lot more cocktail glasses in front of her than Kiria did.

When they slipped outside, Kiria smiled in relief. It seemed they were going to get the information they needed.

The guy asked to lead her onto the dance floor, and they danced for a little before returning back to the bar. She had to have been on drink three or four by the time he came back in, this time alone. He made a beeline for her, but stopped short when he saw the guy she'd been standing with earlier with an arm around her waist. He shot her a confused look, and she giggled. "Oh, Nathan. This is—" she started, but had to pause as she searched her brain for his name. When she came up blank, she laughed again. "I don't remember his name, but he's been so nice." She started blabbering on, but he ignored her. After all, the other guy didn't look so happy to see him.

"How many drinks have you had?" he asked, holding onto her arm.

"Hey, buddy!" the guy intercepted, stepping between them.

Nathan spluttered for a second. "She's—She's my sister!" he invented.

The guy wasn't quite that drunk.

"You? And her? She's in another league, dude."

Damn. He hadn't expected to need to babysit her. Then again, it had taken longer than he'd expected. He opened his mouth to say something, but a very drunk Kiria interrupted. "It's okay, guy-I-don't-remember-your-name. He's here to take me home. I think. Are you going to take me home now?" She sounded almost bewildered, and he hoped she hadn't drank enough to give her blackouts.

"Yes, it's time to go home now." He reached around the guy as she reached for him. As soon as he had a good grip on her, he looked at the guy. "Oh, and you're an asshole." He picked her up so they could dodge through the crowd before the guy could punch his lights out, and then he set her back on her feet as soon as they hit concrete. He coddled her as they walked (or in her case, staggered and held onto him) to the taxi he'd already called. "The Four Seasons," he told the driver, and they were gone and away.

The little sheet of information he'd gained about Lea Chaudery weighed heavily on his pocket, but she was in no shape to talk with him about it. It would have to wait until tomorrow.

He cringed at the idea of how she'd feel in the morning. Tomorrow's trial might be interesting, with a hungover attorney at the vanguard.

* * *

**A/N: Another chapter up! And actually in a timely manner! It's a record! This one was oddly easy to write. Originally I'd debated about including the bar scene, but I think it's important in the long run. On the other hand, it was fun to write this one! After all, both Nathan and Kiria are in their twenties, fresh out of college. I figured it would probably be a good thing to include.**

**And now to respond to my lovely commenters!**

**Psykit: No, no, please, don't hesitate to tell me stuff like that! It's really hard to put yourself in the reader's shoes, so it's good to know what people prefer! Thank you so much for telling me, and I'll certainly keep that in mind as I'm writing future chapters!**

**Blaze: Thank you! Haha, that's really the big question in this trial, isn't it? You'll find out a little bit in this trial sequence, a little more in the next trial sequence, and then quite a bit more in the first part of Part 2 of The Seven Year War. But yes, there's some history between Nathan and Kiria. What kind? You'll have to keep reading to find out!**

**Now that I've answered my comments, I realize how close we're getting to the end of The First Strike! It's so exciting!**

**Read and review?**


	23. The Translated Turnabout: Trial 2

**Chapter Twenty-Two :: The Translated Turnabout :: Trial :: Day 2**

If he thought about it very hard, he realized that for as long as he'd known her, he'd been there for her. Take this morning, for example. As soon as she was awake and emptying her stomach of its contents, he was getting up to get her water and aspirin. He also had something for her to eat, because she hadn't kept much down last night either.

She was still "praying to the porcelain goddess," as his sister called it, when he came into the bathroom. She was shaking, although whether it was because of the hangover or she was cold, he wasn't sure. After a moment, she lifted her head and stared at him pathetically. "What the hell happened last night?"

He laughed and offered her the pill and water. "You got bar-poached, that's what. With 190-proof Everclear too. By the time I got back to you, you were completely blazed."

"Dammit," she uttered before throwing up again. "What time is it?"

"Seven-thirty. The trial's at nine," he reminded her, handing her the apple in his hand. "You need to eat something beforehand."

She looked green at the very thought and pushed the fruit away. "Just go away," she moaned.

He flicked the light on.

"Owwww. Dammit, Nathan, I'm in no shape to go to trial. I can't face Franziska Von," she paused, waiting for her tired brain to catch up, "Von-something like this; she'll totally kill me in court."

"Come on. We've got to get you sobered up in an hour and a half." He slung one of her arms over his shoulders and picked her up like she weighed nothing. "I'm not going in there facing Von Karma alone."

* * *

She wasn't completely sober when they finally got to the courtroom, but it was better than earlier. She was wearing his sunglasses, and every so often she would moan slightly when the driver stomped on the break or the gas, but she could think straighter now that she'd had a little bit of time. She had a water bottle in her briefcase; it seemed to be the only thing that really helped. "So, what did we find out about Lea?"

"We've got Sine's ex-girlfriend. She's staying in the Hilton across town. There wasn't a lot in her apartment, but she told me enough to cement our case."

She frowned. "Unfortunately, what we got, we elicited through illegal means. It's not viable as testimony."

"No, but I did send her a request for testimony earlier this morning." He smiled when she looked at him in surprise. "She'll be one of our witnesses today."

"You were efficient this morning," she remarked, impressed.

He grinned. "Not all of us got completely wasted last night due to a guy with a handsome face and some not-so-good intentions."

She rolled her eyes, but her face glowed red.

"Anyways, her name is Lea Chaudery. She's been working with Maks, but she didn't say how. Believe me, I tried to extract it out of her last night, but she just kept giggling. And then all of a sudden, she started bawling. I made my exit not too long after." Nathan rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Her mood swing, while not completely unbelievable, had been strange. "And then I found you."

"So she's the accomplice in this. I wonder why?"

"What do you mean?"

Kiria thought back to the day before with a small amount of difficulty. Her brain felt like it was slogging through clouds; nothing was clear in her mind. "Well, Sine said he was calling Zheng Fa to get a ring, and he was getting it canceled now. That doesn't sound like he broke up with her, does it?"

"You think she broke up with him? Well, then why would she be working to frame him as a part of the smuggling ring?"

"It doesn't make sense, does it? I guess I'll keep thinking over it." She sighed. This case seemed obvious at first glance, but it was slowly revealing itself to be not quite what it seemed. The fog in her brain wasn't helping either. She kept trying to think about what she'd learned last night, but it was all so vague and she could only remember pieces . . .

"Mr. Hawkins!" Nathan shouted, spotting him across the room. Kiria cursed at the way his voice now echoed around her brain. After his quick apology, she turned to her client. "Where's Yoshiya?" he asked, even though he knew the man couldn't understand him.

Kiria looked around for her brother. Indeed, he was nowhere to be found. Unfortunately, the one woman she didn't want to see was in the vicinity and coming to talk with her two favorite attorneys. "Kiria Nomura!" She was brandishing her whip, and Kiria wasn't having any of it.

"Miss Von Karma." Her voice was curt, all politeness drained from it. "Do you have something you'd like to talk about concerning the case?"

"Only that you're going to lose this trial!" She cracked her whip, although it was aimed at the ground so that it didn't hit anyone in the group. "Your client is guilty as charged! A Von Karma can always see the truth!"

"Nonsense. You must have realized by now that Sine Hawkins is not the culprit. None of the evidence points to him!"

"The calls—"

"Circumstantial at best."

"The printing presses—"

"Could have been brought by anyone."

"The Babahlese ink—"

"Could not have been made by my client!"

"Arghhh!" The noise Franziska made was out of frustration and she cracked her whip again. "I will not settle for anything less than a guilty verdict! Kiria Nomura, you will feel the wrath as justice eliminates foolish fools like you!"

"Justice is on my side because the truth is on my side. You _will_ regret pushing this case, and I will make sure that Sine Hawkins is proclaimed guilty. Anything less than that, and it is a failure of _mine_! I will not allow you to push that fault onto me!"

Franziska looked taken aback, but quickly recomposed her face. "Hmph. I will not lose, Kiria Nomura. Let me make that clear." With that, she flicked her whip and turned on her heel, storming away.

"Hopefully, back in LA, you two make better friends," Nathan remarked dryly.

She grinned. "I don't have to work with her as a colleague. Wonder what she'll do when she realizes you, the Defense co-council, are actually a Prosecutor?"

He winced. "Don't remind me."

"Sorry I'm late! Sorry, sorry, sorry!" Yoshiya ran up to them, obviously sorry for his lateness.

Kiria rolled her eyes. "Have you not realized what a watch is?" she snapped.

"Sure I have. Why are you wearing sunglasses?" he asked.

She groaned. "Don't ask."

"Any pre-trial questions you wanna throw his way?"

"Of course. We need to know anything about Lea Chaudery. She's our suspected accomplice." Kiria crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. "Unfortunately, we don't have motive. It's not making sense."

Again, the name Lea Chaudery (predictably) set Sine off again, and by the time he'd calmed down, Kiria had walked away with a headache. "Keep it down," Nathan hissed, turning back to his companion. "I don't have any more aspirin with me."

"Then kill me now."

He chuckled and took her arm, leading her back to her brother and client. "Lea Chaudery was his ex-girlfriend in Cohdopia. They broke up after he was elected Ambassador to Cohdopia. Sounds like they were together for a long time, and he was getting ready to propose. But she broke it off, and he came here."

"Ouch. Nasty breakup?" Nathan asked.

"Sounds like it."

She sighed. "But that still doesn't make sense. Why would she frame him? She broke it off!"

"Revenge?" Nathan guessed.

She shook her head miserably. "Until we get her up on the stand, we won't know anything."

The courtroom doors opened, and Kiria had never dreaded going to trial so much as she currently did. Hungover, irritated, and just plain confused, she took her first steps in and wished she hadn't.

* * *

"Miss Nomura, did you suddenly go blind?"

Nathan snickered, but Kiria didn't find it quite anywhere near as funny. "No, your Honor."

He stared down at her through his half-moon glasses. "Then may I ask why you're wearing sunglasses inside of the courtroom?"

She figured now wasn't the time to tell the truth about what had really happened. "My eyes are dilated, your Honor. I had an eye appointment before the trial today."

"Nice save," Nathan murmured.

"Even so, I'd like you to show respect inside of my courtroom. Would you mind taking them off?"

"Of course, your Honor." She slipped the sunglasses off of her nose and winced as the bright fluorescent lights hit her sensitive eyes. This trial was already going to be painful. Why not make it physically so as well?

"Now, where did we leave off yesterday?"

Franziska smiled a vindictive smile. "We found out that there was a visitor in the defendant's home the week of his apprehension. Maksim Gelrica, the former Babahlese Ambassador, was indirectly accused of being the culprit of the smuggling ring by the Defense. The Prosecution requests his testimony in order to make his innocence clear."

"Testimony is granted, unless the Defense has a problem with that?"

"None, your Honor." Kiria swept her hair behind her ear, ready to swing at the batter in the witness box. "The Defense agrees with the request for testimony."

"Then let us bring Maksim Gelrica into the fray, shall we?"

* * *

The atmosphere in the room was undoubtedly that of a fray. Tension ran through both the Prosecutor and Defense benches as Maks took the stand. Both cases hinged upon what he said under oath. "Witness, state your name and occupation!" Franziska demanded as soon as he'd settled himself.

He looked surprised at her stern tone. "I'm Maksim Gelrica, former Babahlese Ambassador to the United States."

Something about his introduction surprised her, but she couldn't figure out what it was.

"Tell us about Sine Hawkins' involvement in the smuggling ring."

Maks took a deep breath, and then he spilled everything.

"Sine was in it from day one. When we were working together, he'd tell me to go away, because he didn't want me to see what he was doing. But he was making Babahlese ink, I realized. That chemistry set you found? He's been making ink from it ever since the smuggling ring started. I came here because I wanted him to stop. But as soon as I got here, he got angry with me, saying that he'd never stop; he was invincible. By the time I'd found something to make him stop, he had been arrested."

The Defense's jaws were on the floor.

"Did I just hear right?" Nathan hissed at his companion.

"What's this story? It's totally different from what he told us yesterday!" Kiria whispered back.

The truth hit her like a baseball to the face. "No . . . he told us what we wanted to hear, knowing that we wouldn't be able to prove it. He's our culprit, all right!"

"Dammit. And here we thought it was an amateur crime! No, Maksim Gelrica knows exactly what he's doing. It doesn't matter what he tells the Defense; he wanted to be able to testify to throw Sine under the bus completely."

Her eyes floated to the Detective on the case. He sat in the Gallery, looking furious. She wondered what Maks had told him. Probably another story. A frown graced her features. She'd expose him as the liar he was and free her client, no matter what it took. She wouldn't lose to this cheating son of a bitch.

"The Defense may start the cross-examination."

"How long ago was 'day one' as you said?" Kiria asked, standing. She hadn't seen any flaws she had evidence for, so she'd have to nitpick and wait for him to slip up.

Maks put on a thoughtful mask. "It was about a year ago, I think. He started acting really strange and doing all these weird things. I caught him, and he eventually confessed. But he didn't stop."

"Would Mr. Hawkins have had the knowledge to create the Babahlese ink?"

His mouth spread into a smile as he realized where she was going with this. "I would say so. Anyone could make it, really. It's not hard."

Kiria crossed her arms over her chest, realizing his mistake immediately. "I didn't ask whether he would have had the ability to make it. I asked if he'd have the knowledge to make it."

"A question of semantics," Franziska scoffed, but Kiria glowered at her.

"The question still stands."

Maks didn't look too disturbed. "Yeah, I'd say so. I mean, if you could read the formula, you could pretty much make it."

"How much Chemistry experience does Mr. Hawkins have?"

He laughed. "Not much. I think he failed basic Chem back in High School. Why?"

"Hey, I recognize that from his testimony with us. But why acknowledge that?" Nathan asked.

Kiria smiled. "Because we could easily check that. Unfortunately for him, he doesn't know that we have a piece of evidence that's going to put that to shame." She turned her attention to her unsuspecting prey. "Mr. Gelrica, you have just completely contradicted yourself."

"What? I don't think I did!" He looked nervous now.

Kiria held up the flash drive she'd used the day before. "I have a copy of your files right here. It shows you to be an expert on the composition of Babahlese ink, is that correct?"

Maks shrugged, but his pride wouldn't let him deny it. "Yeah, I guess you could call me an expert. I'm writing a paper on the properties of Babahlese ink. Why?"

"Because I'll tell you that I took Forensic Chemistry in college, and never ran into anything like you have in this document." She plugged the flash drive into her phone (praising modern technology as she did) and opened up the paper he was referring to. "Can you tell me what this is?" She pointed to a long string of C's, H's, O's, N's, and S's followed by large stoichiometric coefficients. "Because I certainly couldn't tell you what it was after taking forensic chemistry."

He gasped and started sweating bullets. "Where did you . . . how did you . . ." He looked furious. "That's a violation of my private property!" he protested, spitting his statement in her general direction.

"Not when you're a suspect, it's not. In fact, if you hadn't given it over, I could have booked you for obstruction of justice. You see, Mr. Gelrica, you're a foreign citizen. Like me, you have no rights in this country when you're under investigation. So, back to the task at hand . . . how did Mr. Hawkins read this when he failed basic Chemistry?" Kiria asked, pointing her finger in his direction.

He spluttered. And then he calmed down almost immediately. "Because I told him."

"You what?"

"I told him what they meant."

His rebuttal left her gaping like a fish. After a minute, words finally rushed out. "Why the hell would you do that?"

"Because he asked."

"And you never questioned it?"

He shook his head. "I was doing a favor for a friend. Nothing more."

She shook her head, hoping for a second wind. "I don't think so. You want to know what I think? I think you were the one who made the Babahlese ink. You framed Sine Hawkins for the crime. That's what I think. You didn't present yourself as a Chemist; you presented yourself as a friend, hoping we'd forget that your qualifications make you a perfect culprit for the crime!"

"Prove it!" he bit at her, looking very much like a feral animal now. "If you think I did it, present some evidence!"

"I think this is a perfect time for our witness," Nathan whispered. Indeed, she couldn't find any evidence that strongly linked Maks to the crime with any conviction.

She nodded. "The Defense would like to call Lea Chaudery to the stand!"

Franziska cleared her throat. "The Prosecution requests ten minutes to prepare the witness!"

"Recess granted." The Judge picked up his gavel and laid down the proclamation.

* * *

"What's going on with Von Karma?" Nathan asked.

Kiria shook her head. She'd noticed the silence from the Prosecutor's bench as much as her friend had. "I don't have a clue. She doesn't look happy, to tell the truth."

"Do you think it's got something to do with Lang?" he questioned as the detective entered the preparation room where Franziska was talking to Lea Chaudery.

"Like she's backing down for him? It's crossed my mind. But she doesn't seem to be that type." Kiria pondered the possibility. "Maybe it's got something to do with how high-profile the case is. I mean, if we convict the wrong person, the smuggling ring has the possibility of picking back up, and then we don't really have a lot of chance to fix our problem."

"After she talked about her perfect trial? You don't think she's worried about winning anymore?" Nathan was skeptical.

"You do?" She watched Franziska's silhouette from the small window. "I think she's rethinking that perfect trial mentality."

"I guess it's possible. But . . . it's Franziska Von Karma. She's legendary."

She shook her head. "She's got to be piecing the trial together just like we are. International trials are dangerous; you risk giving yourself a name elsewhere. No, I think Franziska's realizing that if she continues to press for Sine Hawkins' guilty verdict, she realizes she's going to let the real criminal away. Despite her desire for a perfect trial, it's too dangerous to let the real culprit get away."

Nathan nodded and sank down onto the bench beside his colleague. There was nothing more they could do until the Prosecution was done prepping the witness.

* * *

_"I'm surprised, Franziska. Even six months ago, you wouldn't have asked me that question. What changed? Perhaps you're finally realizing that the truth is more important than perfection?"_ The voice on the other end of the line was patronizing, and Franziska Von Karma wanted nothing more than to reach through that telephone line and give him a hard crack across the face.

"Just answer my question, Miles Edgeworth!" she demanded.

She could hear him chuckle darkly. _"It isn't easy. Is there the evidence to convict?"_

"No. The Defense can't prove it."

_"Do something to prolong the trial another day. Nomura's a brilliant attorney; if you give her a chance, she'll turn it around to suit her case. Who did you say was her co-council?"_

"Are you jealous, Miles Edgeworth?" She laughed coldly at his sudden splutter and indignant _"Certainly not!", _her fingers tightening around her phone. "Nathaniel Price."

She was shocked when he laughed out loud. _"I suppose that's to be expected. The soonest I can be there is tomorrow morning."_

"What am I supposed to do to get them another day?" she asked skeptically.

_"Oh, you're creative. You'll think of something. After all, you _are_ the big sister, aren't you?"_ With another laugh, he hung up, leaving her silently steaming on the other end.

She sighed, looking squarely at Lang. "Are you happy now?"

"How are you going to get another day?" he asked.

She smiled, and it was purely vindictive. "Oh, believe me. I'm creative."

* * *

"Ms. Von Karma!" The Judge's tone was disapproving as he stared at her disbelievingly. "What did you just . . . what did you just do to the Defense?"

"Th—That was uncalled for!" Kiria shouted, looking down at the now-unconscious Nathan. "It was unwarranted and . . . Your Honor!" she pleaded.

Franziska flipped her hair, unaffected. "That's what he gets for disrespecting a Von Karma."

Kiria had to admit, the remark he'd made was pretty stupid. Taunting a woman with a whip about the annihilation of her perfect case? For a minute, she forgot who was the one hung over this morning.

"I _should_ declare this a mistrial. However, because of the gravity of this case, I will grant another day in order for Mr. Price to recover. I can't do much beyond that, Ms. Nomura, unless you're expecting me to hold her in contempt of court?" The Judge looked at her skeptically. It was pretty obvious that he didn't want the same thing to happen to him, negative sanctions or not.

"No, your Honor."

The Judge nodded resolutely. "Court will reconvene tomorrow morning. Ms. Von Karma, I expect that whip of yours to be far away from the courtroom when you reenter it tomorrow." He banged the gavel with finality and fled to his chambers.

"Coward," Kiria muttered under her breath as she began to tend to Nathan. She'd hit him several times, hard enough to knock him out. She traced her fingers over a particularly prominent welt and glanced over at Franziska, who had bridged her way between the benches.

The girl looked unrepentant. But she was leaning over Kiria as if she were concerned for his well-being. It was suddenly obvious when the prosecutor's mouth was right next to her ear. "You'd better have the evidence tomorrow. A Von Karma does not give second chances easily. Here is your respite." Franziska straightened, turning on her heel and walking away.

Kiria stared after her, suddenly feeling much more confident in her case.

* * *

"Hey Nick! Whatcha watching?" Maya bounded over to the couch, plopping herself next to him and giggling when he wound an arm around her shoulders.

He flipped through the channels, eyes still squared on the TV like she wasn't there, but the ends of his mouth were tugged into a smile. "Just channel surfing. See anything interesting?"

"Look! That was Franziska!" Maya suddenly shouted as he flipped past a news channel. "Nick, go back!"

"Franziska?" He turned back.

A picture of the teenage attorney showed up on the screen, her hand poised gracefully on her hip. The newscaster's voice covered the article. _"Today in Washington DC, Franziska Von Karma faced off against the mostly-unknown Kiria Nomura in trial. It was a riveting trial, until it went into recess. Once they reconvened, Nomura's co-council, Nathaniel Price, did something that apparently the Prosecutor didn't like. Watch this exclusive clip from the trial today!"_

It was a grainy quality, but it was obvious who was who. As Franziska reentered the courtroom, Nathan threw her a confident grin. _"Ready to lose, Von Karma? There goes your perfect trial, huh?"_

Franziska obviously wasn't amused. Maya and Phoenix watched in shock as the icy beauty proceeded to whip the other attorney into unconsciousness. There was a silence among the courtroom until the Judge finally broke down and asked what had happened.

"_No negative sanctions have been made against Franziska Von Karma yet, and Nomura says she plans not to press charges. I wonder if her co-council will feel any differently?"_ The news then launched into a drawn-out explanation about the trial and Sine Hawkins' possible guilt. By the end, Maya was sitting stunned while Phoenix stared at the TV incredulously.

"Hey, I remember when she did that to you, Nick!" Maya finally said, breaking the quiet that had fallen between the two.

He stared at her, a sarcastic smile on his face. "Thanks for reminding me. But hey, I guess we know why Kiria felt the need to leave in the middle of the night."

Maya grinned. "And you thought she had a secret boyfriend she was sneaking out to meet. Awwww, Nick the daddy. I guess Trucy's really softening you up, huh?" She poked him in the side playfully.

"Good luck with that," he said grumpily. His expression immediately brightened when Trucy came into the room though. "Hey there, Trucy!"

"Daddy! Mommy!" She was holding a pair of cards in the air. "I have a new trick to show you!"

* * *

**A/N: Another trial chapter down! I find these infinitely harder to write than the investigation chapters.**

**I want to give a little bit of justification for Franziska's odd behavior (not too much though; it'll be part of a good conversation later) in the trial in that she's giving Kiria and Nathan another chance to investigate. I found Franziska's lack of character development disappointing until I played AAI: ME, where she seems much more interested in finding the truth. Also, compounded with the tragic final case in T&T, I felt that she needed to be given a little bit of credit. Let's see if I can pull it off though, haha.**

**I'm getting more reviews! I'm really quite surprised by how many of you are outraged by the fact that I don't get more reviews!**

**An Anonymous Person: I really thank you for your frankness in your opinion, and I do agree. I think most of the bias stems from the lack of good OCs, and because this one is so OC-centric, it turns people off. But also, they're often not as fun as regular stories. I hope that mine transcends that boundary and is enjoyable for both types.**

**Psykit: Haha, to tell the truth, I wasn't expecting that! I find myself much more attracted to Nathan (but then again, he's so much fun to write!). And the idea of him dressed up like that? I'm halfway tempted to draw it! Haha, thanks for reviewing again. I'm also going to give a little bit of PR for your new story; it's an excellent read. Very good job!**

**Blaze: Oddly enough, although it's Midterm time, I'm finding myself with a lot of free time. So hopefully, chapters get updated more often. The other thing is that I'm getting excited; the best trial (or at least my favorite one) of The First Strike is coming up after The Translated Turnabout, so I can't wait to get this one wrapped up!**

**Blinth: Thank you so much! It's nice to hear (I tried to read through it and got bored, but maybe that's because I know what's going to happen!) that it's still interesting to read all the way through! I'm glad you like Kiria; I think she's one of my favorite characters that I've ever created.**

**Two more chapters in this one? Three? I don't know yet, but stay tuned!**

**Oh, and poor Nathan. D:**

**Read and Review!**


	24. The Translated Turnabout:Investigation2a

**Chapter Twenty-Three :: The Translated Turnabout :: Investigation :: Day 3**

"And we're back to the investigation," Kiria murmured as the paramedics loaded Nathan into the ambulance. "Or more, _I'm_ back to the investigation." After he'd stayed unconscious for around five minutes, the court authorities had decided to send him to the hospital. He still wasn't conscious, but Kiria wasn't that worried. Hell, they'd done some very stupid things through college and lived through it. This was tame in comparison.

"Disappointing, isn't it?" She hadn't noticed Maks Gelrica come up beside her. She jumped ten feet in the air before staring at him in surprise.

"What are you . . . what are you doing here? You should be detained as a suspect!"

He smiled. "Since the Defense was unable to bring in solid evidence that I was tied to the case, I've been released."

Her surprise turned to disbelief and anger. "What?"

"You heard me. I'm even allowed to go back to Cohdopia, which is what I'm planning to do. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go get my things from Sine's apartment." He tipped an imaginary hat to her as she stood rooted to the spot.

"This can't be happening," Kiria said to herself, trying to wake herself out of the cruel dream she was in. Maks Gelrica's back was getting farther away as she stared at it, not wanting to believe what he'd just said. "This can _not_ be happening."

"He won't be able to find a flight until tomorrow morning." She looked behind her to see Shi-Long Lang, his face looking grim. "You have twenty-four hours before he gets away. Do you think he's going to wait around for you to find your evidence?" His voice was getting increasingly angry as she stood there dumbly. "Time's ticking!"

It was his last statement that finally snapped her into the mood. "Agent Lang! I formally request Interpol's help in investigating the case against Maksim Gelrica." It was part of International Law: if the attorney on the case suspected something, they could ask for the investigative assistance of the case authority. The investigator could always say no, but she had a feeling he wasn't going to.

A smile broke out onto his face. "I guess I can't leave a lady alone, huh, sis?"

"It _is_ dangerous in a city that the lady doesn't know," she agreed innocently.

He grinned. "Let's get going. Saving Zheng Fa's economy is something that should have happened a long time ago."

* * *

Lang would be an asset at the scene, she realized. There were a lot of things that she hadn't gotten the chance to look at yesterday, thanks to Maks Gelrica, and she was determined not to drop the ball.

That all changed when she saw the fishtank.

She'd always had a small soft spot for pets; after all, she'd never had one growing up, and she'd always wanted one. And those poor fish were just floating around in there, starving because no one had fed them for a while . . .

She pointed at the fish food. "Has anyone checked the fish food?" she asked Lang as he began to investigate near the TV.

He looked over at her. "Inside the container? Yeah. Never would have taken you for a softie."

She opened the canister and picked a few flakes out with her fingertips. "I always liked fish." She sprinkled the food into the tank, smiling when the fish came up to devour them. "He's got such a pretty fish tank too. Look at all of the colored rocks." She peered down at the environment inside. "And the little castle! It's so cute!"

"Are you going to spend all your time on the fish, or are you going to get to investigating sometime today?"

She stood, instantly chagrined. "Sorry!" She turned back around to bide farewell to the fish before something glinted in the light, catching her eye. "Wait, did they check the fish tank?"

He sighed in irritation. "What is up with you and the fish?"

"No! Look!" She was pointing inside the tank at some rocks. Lang decided to humor her, and walked to her, leaning over her shoulder.

"What are you—" He cut off quickly as he realized exactly what she was pointing at. "Those aren't rocks." A little gold charm stared back at him, chiding him for so blatantly forgetting to check the tank. "Where's the net?" She looked around, but he found it quicker and dipped it inside of the tank. "Go get a glass of water from the kitchen."

"But why?" The answer was obvious when he scooped up one of the fish. "Hey, wait a minute!"

Lang watched as she bustled around in the kitchen, trying to find a glass large enough to store all of the fish (probably comfortably too; he was ready to bet money that she would come back with the largest bowl in there). His eyes strayed, falling eventually upon the lantern. The idea hit him just as she was running back with a bowl clasped in her hands. She was saying something, but he wasn't really listening. "The lantern. What did it burn with?"

"Pardon?" He'd almost forgotten completely that she was there by the time she'd spoken up.

"Let's get what's down in there first, and then I'll look around." He began to take the fish out of their natural habitat, placing them in the large bowl she'd retrieved. After a few minutes and a fight with a fish that refused to get out of the net, the tank was empty of all living creatures. Lang snapped rubber gloves on, reaching down to get the charm. With it came the rest of what appeared to be a bracelet, complete with the tiny little seahorse charm.

"Is that . . . ?"

"It's not Hawkins' or Gelrica's for sure, unless they suddenly decided they liked women's jewelry."

Kiria's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "How can you tell?"

He unclasped it carefully and laid it over his covered wrist. It barely covered half of it. "I'll bet anything that it fits your wrist, though."

"But whose is it?" Kiria asked in confusion. "If it isn't Sine's or Maks's, whose is it?"

"Don't be a fool. It's obviously Lea Chaudery's." The voice alerted them to the new presence before they heard the door slam against the door.

"Franziska!" The name burst out of Kiria's lips before she could stop it, and she clasped her hands over her mouth before she could say anything else.

"Hey, sis. Come to join the party?" Lang shot her an infuriating grin, and the young Prosecutor did not look amused by it.

She had her arms crossed over her chest, and she'd previously had a superior smile dancing on her pale lips, before Lang had attempted to make a joke. Her whip was clenched securely in her right hand. "Hardly," she said, not moving out of the doorway. "I came to talk to Kiria Nomura."

"M—me?" Kiria squeaked before realizing how ridiculous she was being. Why should she be terrified of a woman who was younger than her . . .

. . . and also had a whip.

Perhaps it was justified.

It evoked a laugh from the frigid woman. "Do not be ridiculous. If I were to do the same to you as I did to your partner, there would be a mistrial, and then we'd just have to do this all over again."

Kiria smiled a thin smile at her own ridiculousness. "Shall we go outside, then? I'll be right back," she assured Lang before stepping out the door with the young woman and opponent.

* * *

"Mr. Price? Can you hear me?"

Nathan stirred, staring up at the nurse standing above him.

"Mr. Price? Hello?"

"Who are you?" Wow, that wasn't what he'd meant to ask. He'd opened his mouth to ask where he was, and instead, that came out.

The nurse put a hand on his forehead. "My name is Tana, and I'll be your nurse."

"Nurse?" He tried to sit up and look around more, but he found he was restrained.

"You're in the hospital, Mr. Price. You were struck with a whip multiple times."

A whip? He could guess who had done that. Those thoughts brought him back to . . . "The trial!" he shouted, suddenly sitting up. "Kiria! What happened?"

"Mr. Price, you should lay back down. The trial you were involved in has been extended for another day. Your friend—Kiria, was it?—said she'd be investigating further, and you'd understand."

He felt sorry for the nurse, he really did. It just so happened that he _had_ to get back to that trial, and start investigating, because Sine Hawkins was hovering on Death Row now. If they couldn't help him, he'd be sentenced as an international criminal, the same title Quercus Alba had been given during his trial.

"I've got to get going. I don't care if you have to call the doctor over from the next town; this is important. I need to be discharged from the hospital. Do you understand?" he asked when she wasn't moving. "This is a matter of life or death for a man. I can't just sit in the hospital!"

"Mr. Price, please, calm down—"

"The doctor, if you would, Tana?" he asked as civilly as he could without seeming like a total madman.

She stared at him for a long moment. After he was almost sure he was going to be sedated or something, she turned on her heel, trying to usher a doctor into the room.

* * *

"What did you wish to speak to me about, Franziska?"

They were standing in the apartment complex hallway, one attorney to another, female to female, each with their backs up against the wall with a truth they didn't want to acknowledge.

"You have no way to prove Maks Gelrica's guilt, do you?"

The words, put out there so bluntly by the opposition, made Kiria physically cringe. She wanted to deny them wholeheartedly, to pick out a piece of evidence and be able to point at it and say, "See, I have proof! I can prove it!" without lying. And it made no sense to lie to Franziska Von Karma. The woman had obviously spent enough time with her own evidence.

"No, I don't. I have speculation and circumstantial evidence. But do I have the final nail in the coffin? No." It hurt to talk about it. Her pride lay at the feet of a woman wielding a whip, and she had a feeling that it wasn't about to emerge scratch-free.

"How much chemistry knowledge do you have?"

"What?" Kiria asked, shocked by the question. She'd been expecting verbal abuse, a declaration that she obviously wasn't a good enough attorney if she couldn't find the answers.

"How much chemistry do you know?" Franziska repeated, her temper obviously beginning to rise to the surface.

Kiria shook her head quickly, trying to placate the fiery prosecutor. "Almost none. I took Forensic Chemistry—Chem 102, I think it's called—in college. Why?"

Franziska shook her head in disapproval. "Because that's why you don't have the evidence."

"What do you mean?"

"You need to know more about Babahlese ink and Potassium Dichromate in order to solve this case. There's a lot of evidence that hasn't been found yet." Franziska swept her silvery hair from her eyes, staring at the girl intensely. "Do you understand?"

"Completely." It was obvious; in order to find the work of a chemist, they had to think like a chemist. It sounded simple enough, right?

She'd done enough to realize that her pathetic knowledge of Chemistry (and Nathan's hadn't been much more extensive) wasn't going to cut it. Which meant that she had to find someone who knew more.

"Good." Having gotten her point across, Franziska turned towards the stairwell to walk away.

"Wait! Why are you helping me?" Kiria had to ask.

An amused smile flickered across her face. "Because I now know what that foolish fool Phoenix Wright was talking about." When she was met with only confused silence, she turned and exited the building. She'd given Kiria Nomura enough to think about for one day.

* * *

"What'd she want?" Lang asked when Kiria reentered the building.

"To make fun of my Chemistry skills. What do you know about Babahlese ink and Potassium Dichromate?"

"Enough. Here, come look at this." He was knelt over the lantern, poking around in the ash left inside. "What do you see?"

"A whole bunch of ash. Why?"

Lang rolled his eyes and made a noise of annoyance. "Of course there's ash in there. Look a little closer." When she looked blank, he sighed. "It's two different textures. You have uniform, powdery ash, and then there are these flakes. _Right_?" he prompted when she looked a little closer.

"Well, yeah. But . . . I thought that was normal."

"Not with the paper that false currency is made of. It flakes up, like these flakes. But it doesn't disintegrate; it keeps its shape."

Kiria mused over that. "So then what's the powder?"

"It's a fabric. Probably flannel of some kind, judging by the consistency and the smell."

How he deduced that was beyond her, but he was obviously in his element where she was not. "So how did the flannel get in there? Why would you burn some of it?"

"To get rid of evidence. I'll bet you anything that there was ink on that piece of sleeve, and that's what burned for so long. But that's good news to us."

"It is?"

Lang grinned wolfishly. "Of course. I think a demonstration's in order. Cut me off a piece of that blanket, would you, sis?"

She felt kind of bad, taking scissors to a flannel blanket that didn't belong to her, but she figured since the forensic team had already done it, she would be fine. She quickly cut a strip out and handed it to Lang.

He took out a vial of Babahlese ink from his pocket, dipped the fabric in it, and summoned up a lighter from his jeans. "Now watch." He lit the end of the fabric that he wasn't holding, waiting for it to burn all the way before he dropped the last piece into an ash tray. "Do you still have that bottle of alcohol?"

She took it out from her purse and handed it to him.

He sprayed directly onto his hand and jacket, seemingly unsurprised when they turned the ghostly green of Potassium Dichromate indicator.

"What? But how . . .?"

"That doesn't wash off for a while. Taking a shower every hour, it'll wash off in a week." Lang looked pleased at his finding, and she quickly realized why.

"So you're saying that our culprit still has—"

He nodded. "Dichromate residue. You got it, sister."

Relief suddenly washed over her. They had proof. Now they just had to apprehend Maksim Gelrica and spray him with alcohol. When he lit up like a Christmas tree, they'd arrest him and Sine Hawkins would be off the hook!

"If we find him now, can we detain him?" she asked Lang.

He eyed her suspiciously. "I would say so. Are you worried he'll suddenly find a way out of the country?"

"It's crossed my mind," she admitted. After all, it was difficult to get an Emergency Waiver, but he was crafty, and she wasn't one for taking chances.

"Let's go get him."

* * *

If he knew Kiria, she'd be at the scene, and time was of the essence. So when he was released from the hospital (and admittedly, Yoshiya had to pick him up because with a concussion, he couldn't leave on his own, apparently), he decided to pick up his own investigation on Lea Chaudery exactly where it had ended the day before. In her house.

"Can I join you?" Yoshiya asked, sounding excited.

Nathan blinked. "Can you even do that?"

"If I believe it's in the interest of my understanding of the case. So, in other words, yes. Do you mind?"

"Wouldn't you rather tag along with Kiria?"

Yoshiya grinned and shook his head. "We were never overly productive together. Add that onto the fact that she took Agent Lang out earlier, I have a feeling I wouldn't be welcome. They're both focused when they get into things."

"You've worked with Lang before?" Nathan couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice.

Yoshiya nodded. "Of course. Lang puts criminals away. He's a productive detective; I can't tell you how many trials have been open and closed because of him. That being said, sometimes he jumps to conclusions too quickly. I believe this trial was one of those exceptions."

"I don't know; he seemed pretty open to the idea he was wrong earlier," Nathan reminisced.

Yoshiya nodded. "Well, of course. Lang just wants the smuggling ring shut down. After all, it's ravaged his country."

Nathan's head swiveled around to look Yoshiya in the eye. "Lang's from Zheng Fa?"

"You didn't hear during his testimony the first day?" Yoshiya laughed. "He said it in his name and occupation."

"Admittedly, I wasn't exactly listening. Name and occupation don't exactly make the case for me most of the time."

Yoshiya nodded in understanding. "I get that. I tend to listen pretty hard, but then again, I don't always get to investigate. I've got to pick up on the nuances of the case so that I can understand the context involved."

"What do you mean?"

"Words in Cohdopian can be pronounced very similarly or differently depending on the context of the word. It's a difficult language for new learners because it's a tonal language, similar to Chinese."

"Huh. Good to know." Nathan paused as they approached the hotel. "Here we are."

"A hotel?"

"Lea Chaudery is staying here, or at least she was last night." Nathan smiled a charming smile, trying to recreate the smile he'd put on for her last night. "After all, she brought a stud like me back."

"She obviously has bad taste in men then," Yoshiya commented coolly, grinning when the attorney's face fell. "What are we looking for?"

"Anything that can tie her to the scene. You wouldn't happen to have any alcohol on you, would you?" he asked suddenly, hope written across his face in large letters.

Yoshiya cocked an eyebrow. "Sorry. Next time I'll remember to bring the scotch."

"No, no! It's for Dichromate residue, not to drink . . ." His voice trailed off as he realized Yoshiya was pulling his leg again. "Damn, now I can see how you two are related."

"Stunningly good looks? Excellent taste in clothing?"

"No, the inability to stop running your mouth."

Yoshiya stuck his tongue out in mock-irritation. "Anyways, are we just going to stand here, or are we going to get in there?"

Three flights of stairs in, and Nathan was already panting. "This is as bad as the hotel," he complained.

"The Four Seasons? Someone actually takes the stairs? I thought that was what the glass elevators were for."

He shot a glare at the foreign man. "Shut up and keep climbing."

* * *

**A/N: This is a chapter I'm not happy about having written. :/ I kind of feel like nothing happens, and it's 3,500 words of complete nothing. As you can probably tell, I struggled with this one, and the next one is going to be short, but it'll wrap things up before the trial. Two more chapters to go!**

**Blaze: Well, Nathan doesn't have brain damage, at least? Thank you for understanding about Franziska's character; I feel like it could be one of the more "attackable" points in this story. And yes, you have plenty to look forward to next trial!**

**Psykit: They certainly seem much younger (after all, they look younger!), but I think that's a dynamic of Japanese culture. I know when I went a few years ago to Japan, my host brother, who was 6, I would have guessed to be around 4. Everyone looks pretty young there. On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed your Phoenix Wright pun in the last review, so I can say I'm pretty lame too, haha.**

**Read and Review!**


	25. The Translated Turnabout:Investigation2b

**Chapter Twenty-Four :: The Translated Turnabout :: Investigation :: Day 3 :: Part 2**

_Ring. Ring. Ring._

Franziska rolled her eyes, her hand coming to rest on her cell phone. She knew who it was without looking at it, and she didn't particularly care to be disturbed by that fool.

On the other hand, what if it was important?

Of course, it would be important. Otherwise he would have texted instead of called. She preferred to text; it was succinct and quick. But Miles Edgeworth didn't seem to understand the need to be alert while engaging in interaction.

"This had better be important," she growled, answering the phone with an exaggerated eye roll.

She could hear his chuckle on the other end of the line. "_I'll be in tonight._"

"Like flying in?" she clarified.

"_Exactly. I got a friend to lend me his private jet so I could get back to the States faster._"

"How convenient." She rolled her eyes again. "And this was what you felt was so important you needed to halt my investigation for?"

He laughed aloud again, and she felt like a child. It felt like he was laughing at her, because she'd always been below him, _always_.

"Do you need something?" she snapped.

He quickly composed himself. "_I merely wanted to know if they have caught on yet._"

"I dropped a hint to Kiria Nomura, but I don't know that she understood completely." She shook her head. "Foolish girl. She doesn't have the knowledge to solve this case."

"_Not a chemistry person, hm? If I remember correctly, you struggled with Chemistry as well, Franziska._"

It was not a subject that she wanted to talk about. "You must be mistaken. As a child, I was perfection." The answer was automatic and rolled off of her tongue easily.

He probably wished to debate that, but she refused to give him the chance. She hung up, ignoring when he called her back.

She did not forgive those who questioned the perfection of a Von Karma. Miles Edgeworth included.

* * *

"Maks Gelrica, you are being detained for the crime of being involved in the Zheng Fa smuggling ring. Anything you say or do will be used against you in a court of law."

"This is all your fault!" He was screaming at the top of his lungs, glaring full force at the Asian girl that stood behind Lang. One of Lang's men was arresting Maks, so she could continue to cower behind the Interpol detective. "This is your fault! Not mine! Not Lea's! It's yours and Sine's!"

A weird feeling settled itself in the pit of her stomach. It was dread; she hadn't thought about Sine's involvement in all of this. Was he really as innocent as he said? Or was he doing the same thing that Reiko Horiyama had done to her the last trial?

"You don't look so great, sister."

She looked up at her protector. "_Anou_, I'm okay. But I need to talk to my client; can you arrange Yoshiya to meet me at the detention center?"

He nodded. "I'll call the center. And stay away from Gelrica; we can't touch him until he goes under oath tomorrow. Then we'll spray him with this and be done with it."

"And it'll work?"

"If he did it, he'll have dichromate residue that will react with the alcohol."

She pondered that for a moment, and then nodded. "Okay. I'm off to the detention center. Agent . . . thank you."

"I just did my part. Tomorrow you'll have to hold up your end of the deal."

No pressure.

* * *

Yoshiya knocked on the door, deciding he'd go before Nathan, in case Lea recognized her dashing suitor from the night before. "You didn't even get her flowers," he teased Nathan. "Aren't you a good night-after boyfriend?"

"Hell, who said anything about commitment?" Nathan asked.

"Commitment phobe?"

He gave a wan smile. "The best."

Yoshiya might have said something else, but the door opened instead. "Can I help you?"

Lea Chaudery was a young woman. Yoshiya searched her face for anything that showed guilt or repentance, but instead he found himself making comparisons between her and his older sister, Mariko. They both had the same fashion style. They were both that same thin-as-sticks body type, the same circles under the eyes, the same smile.

But this wasn't Mariko. No, Mariko wouldn't have done anything like this. Besides, this woman was obviously of European descent, whereas his sister was a full-blooded Japanese citizen.

"I'm here to ask about Sine Hawkins. May I come in?"

"I . . . I suppose. How did you find me?"

Accented English. The same baubles in her ear as Mariko loved to wear.

God, what was it about this woman that reminded him of Mariko?

"We tracked you through Maksim Gelrica. He'll come up in the conversation eventually, I can bet."

She let them into the apartment, moving aside to let them in, but as Yoshiya moved forward, her eyes laid upon Nathan. "You!"

"Miss Chaudery?" he tried to ask innocently.

"You . . . you played me, didn't you?" she asked angrily. "Pretended to be into me so that you could get your information. Well, sir, I can tell you that you're a scum-laden dirtbag, and I don't think you should be doing that to anyone!" she shouted, getting angrier.

"I'm very sorry," he tried to apologize, but she turned her back to him, pretty golden hair glinting off the light.

"What can I do for you?" she asked, turning her attention completely to Yoshiya. She ushered him onto the couch, offered him a cup of tea (which he accepted, the traitor) and once she'd come back, settled into the chair across the table from him. "I do know Sine, but we haven't talked in ages. I heard he was in trouble, but I haven't paid much attention to the news."

"He's been charged as a culprit as a part of the Zheng Fa smuggling ring. Do you know anything about that?"

"Me?" she looked surprised. "Why would I know anything about that?"

"Miss Chaudery, we already know that you and he were an item a while back. You probably know him better than anyone else. Is Mr. Hawkins the type that would do such a thing?" Nathan asked, but she acted like he hadn't spoken, still looking at Yoshiya expectantly.

Yoshiya sighed, reciting what Nathan had just said.

"Well, I don't think he would. But Sine was very secretive. He had a lot of things that he didn't tell anyone, least of all me. There was one thing back before we broke up that he wouldn't tell me. He took a call back in Cohdopia from the same person every day at the same time, and he didn't tell me about it. I tried to ask a few times, but . . . he refused to tell me. He just kept saying that it was a secret, and I'd find out in due time." She fretted now, looking very uncomfortable. "I really hope that this wasn't the secret."

Yoshiya and Nathan exchanged looks. "Did you ever catch anything from these calls?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like a word or something?"

Lea looked up toward the ceiling, her face contorting as she thought about it. "Yeah. They kept talking about a phrase of some kind. I don't know of what kind. Just that they were trying to think of a phrase that was 'appropriate'."

Yoshiya began to piece things together, but he didn't want to risk talking about it with Nathan before they left the company of this young woman. "What about Maks Gelrica? What was your relationship with him?"

Lea bit her lip and leaned back. To Nathan's trained eye, it looked like she was hiding something she really didn't want to talk about. "Maks and I were . . . difficult to define. We were good together, but he was Sine's best friend. What could I do? So I pretended there was nothing between us. And then when Sine and I broke up . . . it was hard."

"Do you still live in Cohdopia?" Yoshiya couldn't help but ask.

"Of course. I'm only here for a few more days."

Nathan's eyes narrowed. "Why are you here at the same time Maks is?"

Again, Yoshiya had to relay the message before she'd answer.

"It's coincidental. I didn't realize we were coming at the same time."

"And why are you here?"

She shrugged. "I'm here on vacation. I needed a break from Cohdopia. It's a mess over there, nationally speaking. Reuniting a country is a lot of work. I flew out the same day I heard I got vacation leave."

"Convenient," Nathan remarked under his breath. Yoshiya hushed him.

"What do you do in Cohdopia?"

"I'm a Communications Expert. I'm in the International Affairs portion of the government."

Yoshiya opened his mouth to ask a question, but a buzzer in the next room caught him off guard. "If you'll just excuse me for a second, I'll get that laundry out of the dryer, and then we can continue to talk."

"I'll help," he offered, rising to his feet. She protested weakly, but eventually allowed them to help her out. "My girlfriend does so much of the laundry nowadays that I'm starting to question whether or not I still remember how to fold everything," he joked when they entered the laundry room.

It was a load of towels, and they continued to question her as they helped her fold, but none of the questions were answered to any degree of usefulness. Nathan sighed inwardly, until he grabbed onto a plaid towel that ended up being a shirt. "Huh? What's this doing in here?" he asked aloud.

"That's mine! Give it here!" Lea shouted, ripping it from his grip. She went to put it away while Yoshiya and Nathan stared at each other in confusion. "Okay, I'd understand if that was a piece of her underwear or something, but . . ."

"That was really weird. Did you get a good look at it?"

"No. Why?"

"The sleeve that was closest to me needed mending. The cuff had been completely decimated. It looked like it was burnt."

"And it was a man's shirt. What's the meaning behind it?"

Yoshiya shook his head as Lea came back. "Sorry about that. I just realized the time; I have company coming in fifteen minutes, and I'd rather they didn't come to see, well . . . ." She motioned at the two men.

"Of course," Yoshiya said before Nathan could say anything otherwise. "We hope you have a pleasant time here for the rest of your stay."

"Thank you." She showed them to the door as politely as she'd been the whole interview, and then disappeared behind the door.

Yoshiya shook his head. "You're right. There's something weird going on here." He pulled out his cell phone, intending to call the Detention Center to ask to arrange Sine Hawkins for questioning, but stopped short when he saw the time and the twelve messages from the Detention Center and his sister. "Crap. They've needed me for the last hour, and visitation hours are over. You're going to have a very unhappy co-council, and I think I'm going to take a cab back to my hotel and let you deal with her." He smiled winningly, and Nathan shook his head.

"I didn't even tell her I was out of the hospital."

"Oh, good. You'll be in more hot water than I am right now!"

Nathan rolled his eyes and sighed emphatically.

* * *

Yoshiya and Nathan parted ways at Lea's apartment, but when Nathan went to pick Kiria up from the Detention Center, he was told she'd already left.

Uh oh. There were sharp things in their shared hotel room.

He found her sprawled out on the couch. Half of a bottle of aspirin was scattered on the coffee table in front of the couch, the other half hopefully still in the bottle. When he leaned over to look, he was met with relief as he saw a good number of them still in there. She wasn't moving. A cold sweat broke over him as he watched her for a few moments, willing her to move. Willing her hands to make even a tiny movement. His heart thumped loudly in his chest. Oh god no. Not again.

"Kiria!" He found his legs under him and he had suddenly pounced onto the couch, shaking her by her shoulders. If she didn't respond, he'd have to call for an ambulance, and then what would happen? She wasn't from here; Yoshiya was here at least . . .

She shrieked something at him that he didn't understand, and then she was sitting up, pushing him off of her (she really could be violent when she needed to be) and looking around. "What the hell is going on?" she asked finally when she realized he hadn't understood the first time.

"But . . . you . . . are you okay?" he asked. "What's with the aspirin and—"

"I had a headache and knocked the bottle over. But I was so pissed off at you—" she paused here for emphasis and to shoot him a rather pointed look, "that I decided you could deal with it when you got back. God, Nathan." She didn't have to say anything else. They both knew the hidden implication in her last statement.

He swept the pills on the table into the bottle and closed the lid. "You were pissed at me?" he asked innocently. Better to get it out of the way now rather than have her make loaded comments and glares for the next three days.

"Yeah, I was! I still am! What the hell were you thinking, taking my translator to wherever you decided to go investigate—without informing me, might I add? I mean, you didn't even call me when you got out of the hospital! Didn't tell me where you were going. And then I'm left at the Detention Center, trying to communicate with a man who doesn't even understand my arm waving, let alone my questions! _What were you thinking?_"

He'd had a feeling she'd be stressed out today. "How are you feeling? Any hangover remnants?"

"Don't change the subject!"

He gave an emphatic sigh. "We were running out of time, and it wasn't worth you stressing out over it all. You were fine on your own with Lang, and Yoshiya and I found some stuff about Lea Chaudery. Granted, he probably shouldn't have come."

"You went to talk to Lea Chaudery?" Her curiosity was thawing her out; she'd never been able to resist a good mystery, and this appealed to her need-to-know of the case. After all, she'd still never been to talk with the woman, the ex-girlfriend, and Nathan was using this to his advantage.

"Yeah. She still didn't talk much, but at least she didn't burst into tears like she did when I got her drunk. She's got motive though."

"Motive?"

He nodded. "For claiming that Sine's a part of the smuggling ring. After all, she claims she heard him talking on the phone to someone back when they were still dating. She said he wouldn't tell her what it was about."

"Coincidence?"

"I don't think so. But I don't think it has anything to do with the smuggling ring. She was talking about some sort of phrase."

"A phrase?" Her eyebrows rocketed up on her forehead in confusion as she digested this new piece of information. "Like what?"

"She never found out, or if she did, she didn't tell us."

Kiria twisted a piece of hair around her finger as she pondered that. "Lea Chaudery's name came up in another conversation today."

"Oh? What one?"

She summarized the conversation that she'd had with Franziska before moving on to telling him about Maks's arrest. "I don't know that we have the evidence to make it stick. If his arm doesn't glow like a glow stick tomorrow, our case is doomed."

"But what about Lea?"

"She showed up when we were fishing a bracelet out of the fish tank. When I asked Lang who he thought it might belong to, she spoke up and said, 'Lea Chaudery'. Of course, accompanied by more fools and fops and whatever else she likes to call people."

"I'm pretty sure she sticks to 'fool'."

"It's overused. Anyways, she seemed pretty sure of her deduction, and I didn't know who else it would belong to." Kiria shrugged. "I have no proof. We're going in blind again tomorrow." She gave a sigh before leaning back against the couch. "I seem to be doing that for a lot of cases. I swear, I'm going to an early grave because of it."

"It's certainly not good for your health, if that's what you're implying."

She looked at him, her mind back on his recent injuries. "And how's your health. You certainly didn't go away unscathed," she noted, her eyes tracing lines where he must have been hit incredibly hard. There was a welt across his neck where she could almost see the texture of the whip.

"Doctor said I had a concussion. Nothing too bad. What about you? Hangover still giving you problems?"

She nodded. "Headache, and I've just felt nauseous all day."

"Have you ate anything since that apple this morning?"

She shook her head.

He grinned. "Well, since you didn't get me that room service this morning like you promised . . ." He let his voice trail off, still smiling at her charmingly. She rolled her eyes and pointed to the room phone in a silent mandate.

* * *

Half an hour later, they were seated on the couch with "five-star food", as Nathan had taken up calling it. Kiria had her salmon and brioche cradled close to her while Nathan chomped at his caesar salad. They both knew they should have been looking at the evidence, but instead, they'd taken to reminiscing. "Remember at USC when we played truth or dare and Silvia had to drink nothing but pool water for the whole week?" Nathan asked, making Kiria short and almost drop her appetizer.

"Oh God, I remember that! How could I not? The scolding we got after that was priceless! Silv and Ash were on probation for the next week and a half!" They, of course, as witnesses, had confessed everything they'd known (without revealing too much of their own involvement of course; there was the unspoken agreement that if you covered someone else, they'd cover for you) and suffered nothing more than a lecture on the dangers of drinking nothing but chlorinated water for a week.

He chuckled and paused as he chewed what was still in his mouth. "Hell, it made me glad to know you. After all, we hadn't known each other long, had we?"

"Not true. We knew each other. You just thought I was a stuck-up bitch."

"How was I supposed to know? You weren't talking!" Indeed, he could almost recall the day he'd realized she wasn't all she seemed like it was clear as day.

"Well, you should have just known. I don't remember much about the day we started talking though." She settled into the couch, looking at him expectantly. "Storytime?"

* * *

_"She's gone again," Silvia mourned, looking at the door as if she expected someone to come back in. It was impossible to see if anyone was coming in anyways; rain fell from the sky in thick sheets and the moon was almost nonexistent behind the clouds._

_"I don't think she wants anyone to talk to her. She's always the last one here and the first one to leave," Kim said. Even so, there was a small tinge of sadness to her words. She was the mother of the dance troupe, and when even the mother didn't know her child, it had to be a position of rebellion._

_I just scoffed, and shrugged my shoulder. "She just thinks she's better than the rest of us."_

_"We don't know that," Silvia defended. "Maybe she's just shy."_

_I shook my head. After all, the nameless dark-haired girl had quickly shown herself to be a headliner, even as a Freshman like myself. Hell, she was only seventeen, and I'd decided to go out and get some real experience before going to college. I'd just spent the last year performing in musicals across the country, education taking a backseat to my dancing experience. Hell, it was probably good for me. No more math classes. Still, no matter how much experience I had, she still seemed to perform it better, like she'd studied for years longer than I had. When I'd tried to ask her where she'd gotten so good, she'd completely ignored my question—quite rudely, might I add?—and just looked at me quickly to make sure I realized she'd heard me and had deemed it unworthy of answering. "No, I think it's cockiness."_

_"Whatever you say, Wonderboy." Kim was the sarcastic one, the Senior among us, and the uncontested leader. Seriously, she was the only one I'd ever let call me "Wonderboy" without ripping off my shirt and declaring an all-out war to defend my honor._

_"I think I'm gonna try and find her. After all, I didn't see her leave with anyone, and I think she gets lost pretty easy." Silvia was slinging her sweatshirt on as I filed away the information that she was easily lost somewhere back in his head. After all, you never know when you need revenge, huh?_

_"So you're going to go out alone? That seems logical at night with no protection," I argued. Remember, I still had the slightest puppy-dog crush on her—yes, it was a puppy crush. Don't even try to make it bigger._

_Kim was putting her jacket on as well. "I'll help. You coming, Nate?"_

_I stared at my two mentors in disbelief. True, the University of Southern California had become renowned for its advanced dance program during the last few years, and with this girl in it, it was obviously going to excel. Even so, I couldn't see the logic in attempting to reach out to this girl that refused to be reached out to. "Why are you guys so determined to help her? After all, I don't even know her name. Do you?" he asked pointedly._

_Kim shook her head. "Her last name is Nomura. That's about it." Silvia shook her head in acknowledgement that no, she also did not have a clue what the girl's name was._

_"See? Why are you so worried?"_

_Kim put her hands on her hips and her expression was one of ultimate reproach. "Because she's a part of this program, and that means she's a part of the family. If you have a problem with that, transfer to another school. We're all family here, and family helps each other out. Now I'm going to pretend I didn't hear you say that, and ask you again. Are you coming?"_

_Honestly, it scared me a little. Kim didn't get angry easily. She wasn't just the random hothead, and she felt strongly about what she'd just said. Even without the anger, though, it was a nice sentiment, and I supposed I could go along with it, at least until I managed to think of something to get back on her good side. "Okay, I'll come. Do either of you even know where she'd be?"_

_Silvia nodded. "Of course. I've followed her back to campus a few times, but I've never had the nerve to talk to her." She smiled, and I felt my heart beat a little faster in my chest. "Anyways, grab a coat, and we'll blow this Popsicle stand."_

_I shrugged on my jacket—Nordstrom Original, you know—and together we all stepped into the rain. "Ugh, I didn't expect it to rain, or else I'd have brought an umbrella," Silvia muttered after a few moments._

_My reaction was immediately one of disbelief. "You own an umbrella?"_

_"Yeah. I'm from Oregon, after all. Land of the wet and rainy." She giggled, and again I felt my heart skip a beat. After all, she was only a Sophomore, and surely I had a chance to have her hanging from my arm like the shiny prize she was. I was attractive—still am—and I come from a fairly wealthy family . . . _

_"Hey, I see her!" Kim hissed. Our pace had been fast, and the tiny figure was almost impossible to miss. Her black jacket had some symbol embroidered on the back, something which someone had tried to ask what it was before she'd stormed by them like she'd stormed by them like she'd stormed by me. It had only showed me she didn't discriminate._

_She walked into the next alleyway, pushing her hood down and looking up at the rain with what I could only classify as a hateful expression. She obviously wasn't a rain person._

_The next movement was so quick that I wasn't quite sure I'd seen it right until everything had slowed and I was watching the whole horrific scene take place._

_A man almost two feet taller than her had reached out, caught her by the elbow, and tossed her to the ground. The girl was trying to scoot away, but he was drunk, and the delirium made him so much stronger than he would have been normally. Before I knew what I was doing, I was running to protect this girl that even five minutes ago I'd asked why we were looking for. The guy reached down, probably to hit her or something else equally bad, but my body had taken over my mind, and as violent as I am, I punched the guy with more strength than I think I've ever been able to muster in my life._

_"Oh my god, Nate!" Kim was shouting, and Silvia had pulled the smaller girl to her feet, trying to brush her off._

_"Back off, creep!" I shouted. He turned back to the girl. "Are you okay?" I asked, hoping to get some sort of reaction. She was quaking like a leaf._

_"Come on. We need to get her out of this rain and away from this guy." Kim nudged his foot with hers, satisfied when he didn't stand up again. I couldn't help but feeling slightly proud of myself in that I'd managed to punch a guy out so hard he couldn't get back up again, but then again, I should have felt a little worse. _

_It was a few minutes before we got to the student lounge on campus, and Silvia had practically carried the girl. "Are you sure you're alright?" Kim asked, helping the girl into a chair. Silvia darted off for some coffee or something warm to give her. "I'm sure that was scary."_

_The girl nodded slowly. "I . . . I am okay."_

_Kim smiled, still patient. "What's your name, sweetie?" she asked like she'd ask a child. She'd even crouched down so she could look at the girl in the eyes._

_"Kiria. Kiria Nomura."_

_"You don't talk much," I mentioned, hoping it would spur her to talk more. "Why is that?"_

_"I . . . my English is not very good." She'd looked down in shame, and it suddenly occurred to me that this girl might not be from the United States._

_So that was why she hadn't answered anyone's questions. Why she kept to herself. She felt ostracized already, the language barrier making a figurative wall between her and anyone who tried to get closer to her. Sap that I am, I started feeling bad for my earlier comments. She was obviously self-conscious, not stuck-up._

_"I think your English is fine." I leaned down over her as well, holding out my hand for her to shake. "I'm Nathaniel Price."_

_She looked at me with these clear brown eyes, and I might have thought she was falling in love with me for a minute before she said searchingly, "I think I've seen you before."_

_Yeah, so she decimated my pride, but it wasn't her fault. "We're in the dance troupe together. You, me, Kim, and Silvia. Speaking of dancing, how did you get so good? I've never seen someone do some of those things before."_

_She shrugged, modest as always. "I practiced."_

* * *

Nathan leaned back against the couch, finished telling his story. The food had been consumed, and a small smile was playing out over Kiria's lips as she reminisced. "I might remember a few things differently than you remember them, but your retelling was humorous to say the least."

"Okay, so I might have embellished a few things. It didn't help when you kept questioning my . . . terminology whenever I mentioned Silvia."

"Oh, come on. It was so obvious she liked you and you liked her. It was not puppy love. You don't sleep with someone on the first date if it's puppy love." She laughed, taking another sip of her coffee.

He smothered a yawn, trying not to laugh. "Okay, come on. Last of the trial tomorrow. It's late and you're still hung over from last night. Story time is over, and Daddy says it's time for bed.

She rolled her eyes. "My father would have just carried me into bed. But I get your point. Will you be okay on the couch tonight, with your concussion?"

"Awwww, are you inviting me into your bed?"

She rolled her eyes again. "It was an invitation, yes."

"I always knew you liked me." He winked as he strode into the bedroom.

"This is _platonic_!" she shouted after him, unable to repress the laughter that bubbled out after her remark. He was just so ridiculous sometimes.

* * *

**A/N: I feel like it's been forever since I updated! A little bit of backstory; originally I wasn't going to include this portion here, but it seemed like a good place for it, and we needed a break from the case. Besides, the major questions have all been about Nate and Kiria, so I felt like I should answer at least some of them (although the mention of bed might make a few more arise).**

**Comment Time!**

**Blaze: I agree. There was just something about the last chapter I just didn't like. This one I tried to put character development into, since I felt like there were a lot of unanswered questions.**

**Psykit: Haha, I'm always worried about my trial scenes, so I try to keep them short. The next case is pretty trial-centric, so I've got to break that habit. That being said, thank you so much for your praise. I think you deserve the award for the most eloquent (and flattering!) comment I've ever had, so thank you again, and I hope I'm going in a direction that keeps your praise!**

**Chapters will be a little slower this month: I'm taking part in NaNoWriMo for the third year now! For those of you who don't know what that is, just google it. If you wanna add me as a friend on there, I'm GMYuna, and I'm writing the sequel to the first book in my series (ooh, which also got finished after the last chapter was posted; more good news!), and 50k in words is hard without writing Fanfiction! But I'm managing it for now!**

**I think that's it for my awful updates. Read and Review?**


	26. The Translated Turnabout: Trial 3a

**Chapter Twenty-Five :: The Translated Turnabout :: Trial :: Day 3 [Final] :: Part 1**

Kiria and Nathan found themselves at the courthouse early, nerves amped up by the caffeine they'd consumed early this morning and their own trepidation surrounding the case. Nathan blamed Kiria. Kiria blamed Nathan's excursion with the translator. He couldn't argue with that logic.

Even waking up cuddled next to each other hadn't helped her nerves, and Nathan knew she was a cuddler. There was nothing romantic between them, just the knowledge of two friends that he knew her better than anyone and she couldn't resist it when he did nice things for her, like bring her chocolate with sea salt (her weakness, if asked) or offered to cuddle late at night. He came back over with another cup of coffee (without cream and sugar, like he knew she liked) and handed it to her wordlessly. She was staring at the evidence.

She didn't really have a case if the dichromate residue reaction failed to work.

They'd appealed for an early-morning chat with their client, but the request had been denied by the judge. Kiria didn't feel good about that at all. After all, she'd thought they were in the judge's good graces, and this only proved that they had no clue where they stood.

"Hey, is that Edgeworth?" Nathan asked, suddenly, making her look up from her seated position. Indeed, the magenta-suited prosecutor was striding toward them with all of the normal confidence and poise he usually possessed. "Good morning. What brings you here?" he asked when Edgeworth was close enough to hear.

He smiled, bestowing a nod to the female Defense Attorney in greeting before answering. "Franziska mentioned she was prosecuting a case, so I flew in to watch it."

"How supportive," Kiria said. "Are all prosecutors so?" Indeed, they weren't in the Defense Attorney world, where the firms competed against each other to get clients.

He shook his head. "No. I consider Franziska to be a sister, however, so—"

"A sister?" Nathan couldn't help questioning. "And what does she see you as?"

"A little brother. Inferior in every way, of course, but what can you do if you aren't a Von Karma?" Franziska asked, seemingly coming out of nowhere and cracking her whip. "How do you feel this morning, Nathaniel Price?"

He eyed her whip. "I've got a headache, believe it or not."

She gave a predatory grin. "I can believe it." She turned to Kiria. "I should hope you weren't so dense as to miss some clues yesterday, Kiria Nomura?"

She bit her lip in uncertainty, but shook her head. "No, I didn't. You should give a commendation to Agent Lang; he's an excellent detective."

Edgeworth nodded his agreement. "Lang is special in his knowledge and determination. Tell me, does he still have his league of a hundred men?"

Kiria and Franziska both nodded. "The fool would be better off alone. But he insists on having that ridiculous 'pack' around him!" The thought seemed to rile Franziska up before she calmed down and centered her attention back on Nathan. "Miles Edgeworth tells me something fairly interesting, Nathaniel Price."

Nathan gulped, anticipating the statement.

"Around Los Angeles, you've made yourself into an excellent Prosecutor. Are you changing trades?" she jeered.

He shook his head. "No. Miss Nomura needed help on this case, and having a Prosecutor's insight would be beneficial. Or so I believed." He shot her a rueful look. "I'm learning that being a Defense Attorney isn't quite as easy as it seems from the other side of the courtroom."

"I must say, Miss Nomura, I think this is the first time I've seen you not dressed according to court standards," Edgeworth noted. "I don't know whether it is refreshing or a disgrace to the court."

Kiria rolled her eyes, immediately on the offensive. "I might have brought more appropriate clothing for the occasion if Mr. Price hadn't told me that we were going for a case, not a vacation." Today she'd put on a conservative white sweater over the black dress she'd worn a few nights ago to go clubbing in. Again, the wedge heels were the only heels she'd brought, so they'd have to work as her motivation. "Even so, my clothing choice does not affect my ability to defend my client."

"Well stated. Not that I ever said that it did, but it is certainly an admirable defense for such an attack."

Franziska rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Leave the semantics to the courtroom, Miles Edgeworth. After all, you shall have plenty to talk to Kiria Nomura about once we enter."

"Wait, what do you mean? I thought you were watching the trial?" Nathan asked in alarm.

Edgeworth shrugged, disaffected. "I figured if I were standing in the courtroom anyways, I should have my say in the outcome."

"Miles Edgeworth is my co-council for the final day of the trial. He is well acquainted with the circumstances of the previous trials and prosecuted the case against Ambassador Alba. I felt that to wrap up this case, he should be involved. For resolution's sake, of course."

Kiria eyed Franziska for misgivings, or even a hint of the word "perfect", but both seemed to be absent. The woman seemed to be much more mature around Miles Edgeworth than she had been in the previous days of the trial. "Shall we go in, then?" Edgeworth offered, but Kiria and Nathan both shook their heads.

"We're waiting for our client. An image of solidarity, you understand," Nathan quickly apologized, trying to stay as coolly professional as the earlier conversation had been.

Franziska and Edgeworth nodded, making their way into the courtroom together. Kiria and Nathan, in contrast, hung back and waited for Sine Hawkins' appearance. "You think we're going to win this trial?" she asked quietly.

"I have no doubts about it. If we lose, it's because there just wasn't enough evidence. But we know our client is innocent, right?"

"Of course he's innocent. I have no doubt about that. I'm just wondering whether the evidence is strong enough against Gelrica and Chaudery."

"I think that if we pursue Gelrica, Chaudery's motive will come out eventually."

Kiria shook her head. "What's Gelrica's motive?"

The thought made him pause, but not for long enough. "Well, he doesn't need motive. After all, if he's tagged with the spray, he had to have committed the crime. No need for motive."

"Maybe on the other side of the courtroom with an inexperienced witness and defense. But the Defense must always give a motive, regardless of the crime. I just keep hashing it over in my head, and nothing's sticking." She looked slightly green when she said this, obviously unhappy with this outcome.

Nathan winced. "I can't think of anything either. Maybe it was a fight over Lea Chaudery?"

"You'd think the repercussions of that would be much more direct and quick. A stabbing, even poisoning. But framing for involvement in a smuggling ring? What's the point in that?"

"What else connects Lea Chaudery and Maksim Gelrica?" he asked, not unreasonably. "If we're accusing both, there has to be something that links the two together."

Kiria shook her head. "Their connection _is_ Sine Hawkins. The girlfriend and the best friend? I'm not getting a motive here."

"Well, there's Sine. Maybe he can shine some light upon this."

Even as he spoke it, Kiria could sense the misgivings in his voice. After all, if he knew some reason why he'd been framed, he wouldn't be silent through this whole process. Or perhaps he would have been. Kiria shook her head, wanting to eliminate all of the problems with this case. "Mr. Hawkins. How are you?" she asked, giving her brother a quick half-hug.

"He says he's good."

"I need to know a few things before we go in there." She was immediately in game mode, determined not to lose this. "What could Maksim Gelrica possibly have against you? Is there anything that would have prompted the crime against you?"

Sine pondered this for a second before shaking his head. Yoshiya, in response, translated. "No. Well, other than the election."

"Election? What do you mean?" Kiria pressed.

"Sine Hawkins and Maksim Gelrica ran against each other to be chosen to become the Ambassador for Cohdopia. Sine won the votes he needed for the nomination. I thought you knew." He ran a hand through his dark hair as Kiria turned to Nathan.

"A motive?"

He grinned. "The best motive we've found since we started on this case. So Maks Gelrica loses the election to Sine Hawkins. But what about Lea Chaudery?"

"Well, why did she and Sine break up?" The question was directed at Yoshiya, and he translated hurriedly, stumbling over his words as he attempted to ask the man what could have been the most important question of the trial.

"He says that she didn't like the whole long-distance relationship thing they had going on. But she was part of International Relations, and therefore could not go to America with him."

"That didn't stop her from showing up here, did it?" Kiria asked pointedly.

Nathan shook his head and shrugged. "I don't have a clue. But I have a feeling that we're missing a big clue here. Hopefully Von Karma and Edgeworth figured it out before we did."

* * *

This was the first day that Kiria could walk into the courtroom of her own accord and feel like she was in there for her own reasons. There was a morbid sense of eagerness in her step, in which she couldn't help but be excited for the end of this trial. This would be the thing that would distinguish her career worldwide, win or no win. When she stood at the Defense Bench for what would be the final time in Washington DC, she had a determined look in her eyes, completely apart from anything she'd had in previous days. Franziska Von Karma seemed to notice; as the women sized each other up on opposite sides of the courtroom, she gave a minuscule nod of her head in approval. Her pale lips were spread into what could be considered the slightest smile, and her arms were crossed over her chest, mimicking the Defense Lawyer.

Between Franziska Von Karma and herself, they'd figure out the secrets of Maksim Gelrica and Lea Chaudery. There was no doubt about it, in the mind of either the Prosecutor or the Defense.

"All rise for the Honorable Judge . . ."

This was it. The point of no return. The ball was in her court now, Kiria knew instinctively. Franziska had given her the key to winning the trial, and Lang had wrapped the proof up with a silver bow on the top like a present.

If she lost this trial, it would be of her own accord. And she was not about to lose this trial.

"I trust that the Prosecution and the Defense have gathered sufficient evidence in order to complete this trial?" the Judge asked after he'd settled into his high-backed chair comfortably.

Kiria nodded. "Yes, your Honor."

"The Prosecution feels the trial shall be completed today without delay."

The Judge stared at the man at Franziska's side. "A co-council today, Ms. Von Karma? I have to say, it's quite unexpected. I've never seen you require a sidekick before."

Franziska's mouth tightened in rebellion, but before she could say anything, Edgeworth had spoken up. "Your Honor, it is a pleasure. I am Miles Edgeworth, Prosecutor in Los Angeles, like the two attorneys on the opposite side of the courtroom. Ms. Von Karma thought she would benefit from having consultation with another attorney who was as aware of the circumstances with the smuggling ring as she is."

The Judge looked impressed. "Ah, Miles Edgeworth! Yes, I do remember reading your name somewhere. Quite a famous attorney, aren't you?"

"On the contrary, your Honor. I am still relatively unknown in many places of the world," he said.

"Ah, so humble! What an admirable quality in such a youth!" The Judge smiled in approval. "But on with the trial, I suppose! Ms. Von Karma if you would present your opening statement, we can continue on with this trial."

Franziska nodded, her whip clenched between her hands and pulled taut like she was on the offensive. The stance was symbolic, but undoubtedly what she said would be more of an attack on her opponent. "Yes, your Honor. The Prosecution maintains the guilt of Sine Hawkins on the basis of lack of evidence to convince this side of the courtroom otherwise."

"Ms. Von Karma!" the Judge interrupted. "That doesn't seem to be a strong opening statement at all!"

Franziska looked him coldly in the eyes. "On the contrary. For when all of the possibilities have been ruled out, the one that remains, no matter how improbable, must be true."

Edgeworth looked stunned at her response, and Kiria had to admit that it was quite eloquent for such a statement. The Judge, however, contemplated it momentarily before nodding in agreement. "I suppose that is an excellent statement . . . however, do you have any other proof?"

"I believe Kiria Nomura has already worked very hard to rule out other proof. The Prosecution would like the chance to do the same to the Defense's theories."

"Alright," the Judge said, sounding rather unconvinced, but realizing that he wasn't going to have her back down anytime soon. "Ms. Nomura, Mr. Price? Your opening statement?"

"The Defense accuses Maksim Gelrica for his involvement in the smuggling ring and attempting to pin the crime on my client."

"Short and succinct. Do you have any proof of this?"

"Of course." Kiria steepled her fingers together in front of her, composing her thoughts for a moment, then spoke. "Yesterday, Mr. Gelrica caught the Defense on a lack of proof as to whether or not he made the Babahlese ink. We don't have proof for that, but we do have proof that he was there at the scene of the crime! The Defense would like to call Agent Shi-Long Lang to do forensic testing on Mr. Gelrica!"

The Judge glanced over at the Prosecution. "Does the Prosecution have any objections?"

"None, your Honor." Edgeworth nodded his agreement.

"The Court demands that forensic testing be done. As an foreign citizen, Mr. Gelrica, you lose your right to object to such testing. Please proceed, Agent Lang."

Lang already had his spray bottle out, rolled up Maks's sleeve, and squirted some of the alcohol on it.

The courtroom held its breath. If it wouldn't have looked so unprofessional, Kiria would have had her fingers crossed and eyes squeezed closed like a child wishing on a star.

To the relief of possibly all Attorneys present, the man's arm began to glow with what could only be seen as a ghostly green.

"We got him, sister," Lang said, cocking a grin at the Japanese attorney.

Kiria was almost beside herself with relief. This was perfect; there was no way Maksim Gelrica could get out of the charges now!

"You look far too happy, Ms. Nomura," Maksim Gelrica said. Her stomach dropped and churned as she watched his next move with terrified eyes. What did he mean that she looked too happy? "After all, you haven't proven anything."

"What do you mean? Of course we've proven everything!" Nathan argued.

Maks shook his head. "Remember what you said yesterday? I'm a Chemist. There _should_ be dichromate residue on my skin; it would be strange if there wasn't. I'm writing a paper on Babahlese ink. You can't prove when I got the Dichromate on me!"

"No . . ." Kiria murmured, realizing he was absolutely correct. She'd depended on the dichromate residue to forge her case, but it wasn't strong enough proof. It didn't _actually_ prove anything but that he'd been around Potassium Dichromate lately.

Lang seemed to realize the same thing at the same time. As her face fell, his mouth set into a formidable and harsh line. "So then when was it?" he asked in an interrogating manner.

Maks barely gave him a glance. "I don't believe I have to answer to you, Agent Lang. Thank you, but you've been quite enough help for now." The dismissal seemed to echo around the courtroom as they all realized what was going on here. Maks Gelrica was still very much in control of this trial.

There was an uncomfortable silence between the two benches as Kiria tried to rustle up a Defense for her client. For a normal citizen, that would have worked. But for someone who was so entrenched in this case, it was just a hopeless cause.

"If we can't get him, we've got to get someone else," Nathan muttered to her, taking the reins from the stunned Defense Attorney and preparing to turn the world onto its head. "The Defense calls Lea Chaudery to the witness stand."

"Does the Prosecution—"

"The Prosecution has no objections," Franziska said shortly.

The Judge looked between the two sides, obviously put off by the trepidation radiating between them. It was obvious enough that they were on the same side—Justice's side—but of course, that wasn't enough. There wasn't enough evidence, and everyone in the room knew it. There could be no conviction without evidence. "Bring the witness to the witness stand," he finally said with a sigh.

* * *

"I should remind the Defense that if this lead runs cold . . ." The Judge implied the consequences by raising his eyebrows.

Kiria and Nathan both nodded. "We know the consequences."

She could finally feel the feeling returning to her face and hands. The disappointment that had rushed through her had been devastating. Kiria looked at her co-council, giving his fist a bump against hers under the table. "We've got nowhere to go but up," she murmured to him.

He nodded, not looking at her, but straight ahead, as if he were watching the gallows he was about to be sentenced to. "And up we've got to go."

When Lea Chaudery took the stand, Kiria studied her. She'd barely seen the girl; nothing but a quick glance every so often in the crowded bar, and under the influence of alcoholic beverages. Lea Chaudery didn't seem quite so harmless now that she had seen her in the light. The girl had haunted eyes, the kind that held a secret. But they were eyes that held a certain command to them, so that it was impossible to look away. She wasn't dressed appropriately for a courtroom, but still nicely, so that the bottom of her skirt was just over the knee, and her sweater wasn't too low-cut or too loosely knit. It was almost classy, not like the guy from the bar had described her. Then again, the guy from the bar had ended up getting her drunker than a cowboy on a Saturday night. He was the epitome of honesty. Not.

"Witness, please state your name and occupation."

"My name is Lea Chaudery. I am an International Relations Coordinator for the Principality of Cohdopia."

Nathan smiled. "Makes her sound a lot more important than she actually is."

Kiria chuckled, but elbowed him. "Behave."

Franziska nodded at the Defense meaningfully. "I believe that the Defense was the one requesting cross-examination?"

Kiria nodded in response, but Nathan put a hand on her elbow, signalling that he'd take this one. "Ms. Chaudery, could you testify as to your relationship with Maksim Gelrica?"

The question surprised Kiria. "We know her relationship to Maks, don't we?" she hissed.

He was stone-faced and immovable, refusing to answer her question.

She sighed and relaxed back in her chair. Worst case scenario, she talked them out of a dead end. Kiria groaned as she contemplated what she'd say. He, however, didn't seem to notice, paying strict attention to her testimony.

"You want me to testify about Maks?" She seemed surprised, but shrugged. "Well, alright. Maks and I have been friends for a long time. We worked together for a while, and then when I broke up with Sine, he stayed behind and comforted me. He's a good friend, I guess." She smiled, obviously placated by her testimony.

Kiria looked at Nathan, and he nodded at her, handing control back. She grumbled under her breath about what a great friend, to get her in a pickle and then trust her to get herself out, but as she thought over the vague testimony, she realized it had been vague enough to be hiding any sort of inconsistency. With her fingers crossed, she began to deconstruct it.

"You said you and Mr. Gelrica have been good friends for a long time. How long?"

Lea put her finger on her chin as she contemplated it. "Well . . . it's been a while. At least five years or so. Sine introduced me to him, before we were dating."

"You said you two worked together?"

"Well, yeah. When Cohdopia split into Allebahst and Babahl, they kept in touch. When they both became International Ambassadors to the USA, it was my job to keep them updated on current events in Allebahst."

Kiria's eyes narrowed as she thought the logic through. "Why would you be working with Maks then?" she asked. "I was under the impression that Allebahst and Babahl were two different countries at that point."

Lea's mouth twitched. "Well, they were. But the International Relations division had been divided between the countries. We kind of kept working together, because any sort of foreign threat meant a problem to either country, because of our proximity to one another. So sometimes I'd work with Maks, and sometimes I'd work with Sine."

"Interesting, I'm sure, but useless information," Edgeworth said, cutting off this line of questioning efficiently. "Unless the Defense would like to try to tie it to the current crime?"

Kiria shook her head. "No. Ms. Chaudery, what was your relationship with Sine Hawkins?"

"Well, we dated for a long time. A long, long time. But when he was elected Ambassador, I broke up with him. I'd already dealt with years of a long distance relationship. I didn't want to have anything else to do with it."

"Would you say you were close?"

"Of course." She looked alienated by the question.

Kiria centered her gaze on the witness, not sure what answer she was going to receive from this question. Mia's words of wisdom from her apprenticeship rang in her head, making her hesitate. _"Never ask a question you don't know the answer to."_

"Did Sine Hawkins ever mention being a part of a smuggling ring?"

There. She'd dropped the bomb.

There was a long silence. The woman seemed unable to answer the question, or more accurately, unsure of how to answer it. Her eyes met with Maks's, and it didn't escape the court's notice. After a moment, the Judge cleared his throat. "Would you mind answering the question, Ms. Chaudery?"

"It's speculation, plain and simple. I'm surprised Franziska or Edgeworth hasn't called us on it," Nathan observed.

Kiria shrugged one shoulder. "It's a character question. They can't really cite irrelevance; we don't have a character witness before this."

The silence extended. Then she shook her head quickly. "No, he didn't. I don't think he was a part of the ring, to tell the truth."

"Why not?" Kiria pressed.

There was another silence before she answered. "Because he didn't do it. I did."

* * *

**A/N: Another late chapter. I've been trying to keep this fic on the front page, but it isn't happening, haha. **

**I didn't realize how long this chapter was going to be until I started writing it, so I didn't anticipate needing two chapters. I'm not quite clear on how long the next chapter will be either. One of the drawbacks of posting this while I'm writing it. **

**Comment Section! **

**Blaze: I'm glad you liked the chapter! I actually almost didn't include the backstory, but I figured it was as good of a time as any! And if it helped you with the characterization, hey, it did its job, right? Thank you for your wish of luck; my sequel is shaping up nicely so far! **

**Psykit: Congratulations! And thank you for the warning; it's much better to know! Otherwise I'd sit here until you came back wondering if my chapter quality was going down, haha. As for Nathan, well, your guesses will have to suffice for now! Hopefully at the end of the series, I have you crawling back through the chapters, trying to figure out my clues. Again, congratulations, and I hope you had a wonderful honeymoon!**

**35k in words on my sequel!**

**Read and review!**


	27. The Translated Turnabout: Trial 3b

**Chapter Twenty-Six :: The Translated Turnabout :: Trial :: Day 3 [Final] :: Part 2 [Final]**

It was a good thing that Kiria had been seated and not holding anything in her hands, otherwise it was likely that she would have dropped it and fallen to her knees in response. Even so, the word that forced itself from her mouth was less than professional. Beside her, Nathan was echoing the sentiment, along with a word that sounded suspiciously like "bullshit," although she couldn't be sure. She felt like she'd been stabbed in the stomach, with the way the remark had caught her off-guard. "What did you just say?" she asked for clarification.

"I did it. I framed Sine Hawkins for the crime." The tone she used was oddly urgent. "Declare him innocent and me guilty. _Now_."

"Ms. Chaudery, in the court, we do not take kindly to orders," she snapped in irritation. Had she just been barking up the wrong tree the whole time? No, Maksim Gelrica had to have done something in this. But had Lea Chaudery done anything, or was she just covering for Maks? She suppressed a groan. She'd never gotten the chance to ask the woman any questions, so she wasn't sure what she was expecting to hear. This trial was spiraling beyond her fingertips, just like the last one, and Kiria was suddenly terrified that the trial would end in the same way. Maybe she wasn't cut out to be an attorney. All of this, and she still wasn't sure what had actually happened . . .

The light bulb went off in her brain.

"The Defense would like to request testimony from Ms. Chaudery!"

Franziska's eyes narrowed. "Why is that, Ms. Nomura? Ms. Chaudery has admitted to being the culprit."

"Anyone can claim they did the crime. This is more than about my client; I have not proven Ms. Chaudery's guilt, and I feel I should be given the opportunity to do so."

Nathan tugged on her sweater. "Are you sure about this?" he asked. He obviously was fine with leaving the trial where it stood. After all, their client would be off scot-free, and since they were fairly sure Lea had been involved anyways . . . "We can get Maks with something else. A different trial, with different evidence," he tried to convince her, but she shook her head.

"I'm sure about this. I'm not letting Gelrica win this one. Besides, I think she's covering for him. If she slips up, she could incriminate him."

The Judge thought it over before nodding. "I would like to confirm that Ms. Chaudery was the one who committed the crime. If you would testify, my dear?" He rotated his wrist in a circle in a motion for her to proceed.

She looked disturbed. "But . . . what should I talk about?"

"About the crime, of course. What did you do?" Kiria clarified.

"What did I . . . I don't understand. What do you mean, what did I do? I planted the evidence." She seemed unsure, and Kiria was more than convinced she was on the right track now.

"What evidence? Walk us through the planting, if you would."

Lea swallowed. "I . . . well, I put the Babahlese ink where it was found . . . and the printing presses."

"Anything else?" Kiria asked politely.

She thought about it for a minute, and then shook her head. "No, nothing else."

She had an obvious contradiction right there, but she was more concerned with completely eliminating Lea as the main suspect first. "What was your motive for doing this, might I ask? I mean, why would you want to frame Sine Hawkins?"

Lea looked down at her hands, hiding her eyes in shame. "I—well, I wanted to . . . you see . . ." she hedged, trying to put together a sentence. Finally, she gave a great sigh and deflated. "Sine chose his job over me. I wanted to be with him forever, but you look where that put me? I was left in the dust while he went off to be Ambassador again. I figured that I knew where his priorities were. He obviously didn't love me as much as I'd loved him. So I broke up with him. But it just hurt so much!" She shook her head, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "I thought I was going to marry him, and then he went and did that. So, I felt like I needed to get back at him. It was easy to plant the evidence; after all, I knew what the evidence had been in the Cohdopian trial thanks to the media. I just . . . left it there."

"So what was your actual relationship with the smuggling ring? Were you actually a member?"

Lea shook her head. "No. But I knew what it meant to be one, and I couldn't think of any other way to exact my revenge, so . . . I tried to frame him for it. I knew they were still looking for members, and . . ." she broke off suddenly, hindered by a sob. "I made a terrible mistake. I'm so sorry!"

Kiria shook her head. "I don't believe that you were the one who did the majority of the planting, Ms. Chaudery."

"W—What?"

"I'll believe that you planted the ink and presses. But there's more evidence that you didn't mention. In fact, could we have you tested for Dichromate ions?" she asked, going off a hunch.

Lea nodded. "Yeah, I guess so."

Lang sprayed her arms to the elbow with alcohol. No reaction took place.

"But there shouldn't have been one," she protested. "I didn't do anything that would get any on me."

"No. But at the crime scene, it was obvious that someone would have a reaction to it." She paused as she heard Nathan's surprised gasp beside her. "After all, someone set a fire in a lantern at the crime scene that burned for a long time afterwards. When they were setting that fire, dichromate ions would have attached themselves to the skin of whoever set the fire. Therefore, Ms. Chaudery, you could _not_ have been the only one involved in this scheme!"

"Objection!" Franziska shouted. "That is preposterous! Perhaps Mr. Hawkins set the fire himself!"

"And why would he do that?" Kiria asked in response.

"Isn't it obvious? To hide the evidence!"

Kiria cocked an eyebrow. "No, it's not obvious. Because there shouldn't have been evidence, as Ms. Chaudery just testified as to planting it the night of the crime!"

There was a general chatter around the room, drowning out Franziska's remark and anything else that might have been said in the confusion.

"Order! Order in the court!" The Judge was just as strict as he'd been in previous days, exerting his influence over the courtroom almost immediately. "The Defense is completely right, Ms. Von Karma! What do you have to say in response?"

Edgeworth cleared his throat instead. "The Defense is quite right. However, unless they can prove whoever the collaborator was, it's unlikely that this will do what Ms. Nomura is hoping it will do. So, Ms. Nomura. Do you have proof of the collaborator's guilt?"

Kiria paused for a second. She'd gotten back to her original problem. But Franziska had phrased it so eloquently at the beginning of the trial, and Kiria suddenly saw the wisdom in her earlier words. Intentional or not, Franziska von Karma had given her the solution to the trial at the very beginning.

"I need no proof. 'When all of the possibilities have been ruled out, the one that remains, however impossible, must be the truth.'"

"Excuse me?" Edgeworth asked, obviously taken aback.

Kiria grinned, and she could feel Nathan's congratulatory hand on her arm. She'd figured out a way to prove Maks Gelrica's involvement without having to prove he'd been there. "It's simple. Maks Gelrica is the only person who could have been Ms. Chaudery's collaborator of the available suspects. Sine Hawkins has been excused from the crime, and therefore . . ." Her voice trailed off, letting him make the connection on his own.

"Therefore Maksim Gelrica could have been the only one to have conspired with Ms. Chaudery," Edgeworth finished.

Franziska looked like she wanted to respond, but Maks got there first. "Objection! There is no proof!"

"That's where you're wrong. We have proof; our decisive evidence is what we're missing. However, testimony can quickly solve that. The Defense requests Mr. Maksim Gelrica to testify about his whereabouts during the planting of the evidence." Nathan seated himself immediately after making his quick speech, nodding at Kiria when she smiled at him. He was good co-council, she admitted to herself. Without him, she'd have been screwed long before.

The Prosecution nodded its approval.

"The Court requests your testimony, Mr. Gelrica," the Judge said calmly.

Maks surveyed the courtroom with concerned eyes. And then all of his bravado came back and he smiled as he took his place at the witness stand.

* * *

"Witness, would you remind the court of your name and occupation?" Edgeworth requested. He'd obviously taken over this portion, confusing Kiria. What was it that Edgeworth would know better than Franziska herself?

"I'm Maksim Gelrica, chemist and former Babahlese Ambassador."

"Would you mind testifying about your whereabouts the night the evidence was planted?"

Maks rolled his eyes. "Well, yes, I do mind, but that's not gonna get me out of it, is it?" When there was no response, he muttered, "Like I said," and sighed.

Kiria fidgeted as he pondered momentarily over his response. If he admitted to being with Lea like his earlier alibi had been, he would be admitting to committing the crime. It was going to be interesting what he came up with.

"I was working on my research paper. I'd gone out to find somewhere quiet to write it and lost track of time. Before I knew it, it was the next day, and I found out Sine had been arrested."

She cocked an eyebrow. Deliberately vague and it obviously hadn't answered the question. Was this how this was going to end? She frowned; what could she ascertain from that testimony though? She could poke holes all she wanted, but in the end, it wasn't going to get her far.

The Judge was staring at her meaningfully, waiting for her to get on with her cross-examination. This trial was dragging on. It was time to end it.

"Mr. Gelrica, you never answered where you were."

His eyes darted around like he was trapped. "I was in a park."

"All night?" she asked incredulously. You couldn't have paid her to stay in a park all night long; some strange people were out there. "Do you have anyone that can confirm this alibi?"

He shook his head. "I was alone."

Of course. She pondered checking when the document from his computer had last been accessed, and quickly realized the problem she'd created. By opening it the day before in the trial, she would have effectively erased that information. Whatever timeline she'd had, she'd unwittingly taken it out of the running.

Her eyes snapped open as she realized she was at a dead end. There was no evidence that could prove or disprove his involvement.

The despair on her face showed, as the Judge cleared his throat. "Ms. Nomura? If you cannot establish guilt—"

"This trial is over." She felt numb as realization washed over her. If she'd accepted Lea Chaudery's guilty plea, something might have happened. He could have been tried separately. But now that she'd accused him, charging him again would violate the Double Jeopardy rule. No, she'd just screwed everything up. Maksim Gelrica would walk free and Lea Chaudery would be left with the accusations.

"I believe this cross-examination is over. If the Prosecution has any objections—"

"OBJECTION!"

Kiria's heart stopped, and then she was hyperaware of how loudly it beat in her chest. She turned to Nathan, eyes wide. "What are you doing?" she hissed. It was all over; she hadn't managed to convince the court of his guilt!

"I'm saving this trial," he told her shortly, taking her hand and squeezing it once in reassurance. He turned back to the man on the witness stand. "Mr. Gelrica, what were you wearing the night of the planting?"

Kiria couldn't see the reason for asking such an inane question. Maks obviously thought the same thing, but racked his brain anyways. "Well, I wore jeans and a black shirt. Oh yeah, and a flannel shirt over that."

"Long-sleeved?" Nathan asked in affirmation.

"Yeah. Why?"

"The Defense requests Lea Chaudery to testify again!" He seemed excited now, and Kiria sat in the dark, wondering what it was about this flannel shirt that had so excited her partner.

Edgeworth nodded. "The Prosecution will allow it."

The Judge nodded. "Bring Ms. Chaudery back in," he told the Bailiff, looking like he was losing his patience. They needed to wrap this up fast.

Luckily, that was what Nathan planned to do.

* * *

"Ms. Chaudery, when I came to your home yesterday to question you, you had a plaid shirt. Where is that shirt?"

Lea bit her lip. And then she sighed. "I don't know that I'm doing the right thing," she murmured.

Oh, they were so close! If Nathan could get a piece of evidence in the court that was decisive, they would be off the hook! Kiria had to poke and prod until she got the proper response. "Ms. Chaudery, you shouldn't be worried about covering for Mr. Gelrica. He's not planning to cover for you, if that's what you're thinking," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. In fact, she was going off of a hunch, but even if it hadn't gone quite that way, it would be enough to plant the seeds of doubt into Lea's head.

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking over. Her eyes were slightly red and glassy, as if she were close to crying.

Kiria dangled the bracelet she'd fished out of the fish tank. "I'll bet you anything that this was his contingency plan. That and the shirt. If he were ever accused, he could blame part of it on you, and make sure he didn't take the major part of the blame."

Her mouth dropped open in denial. "But . . . no, Maks, you wouldn't!" She turned to the Chemist, pleading something with him in Cohdopian, and he was shaking his head in a soothing manner, but he wasn't placating her. She shrieked before turning to them. "The shirt is in my top drawer. But I'll testify." Her eyes sparkled with an anger Kiria wouldn't have guessed Lea Chaudery to have.

"Can we get that in here?" Nathan asked the bailiff, and with the Judge's approval, he exited the room. He stared at Lea carefully for a full minute, then nodded. "Let's hear your testimony. What are you testifying about?" he asked in interest.

Franziska opened her mouth to protest, but Edgeworth placed an inconspicuous hand on her elbow to warn her against it. He nodded at the interaction. "If you object, we're relying on a piece of evidence we didn't know existed until this moment," he murmured in advisement. Her mouth shut and her lips pursed together stubbornly. They were working toward the same goal, she reminded herself. Even so, this felt wrong to her. She should be upholding her perfection, not watching the demise of this case!

"I'll testify about the shirt."

Nathan mentally calculated how long the bailiff would take to get back. If he could drag it out until the evidence arrived, the case would almost certainly be his. "I'll leave the cross-ex to you."

"What am I looking for?" Kiria hissed back, concerned. He'd been doing so well on his own. She felt like they were skating on a thin layer of ice, and if she jumped on, they might go tumbling into the icy water below.

He shook his head. "Just analyze her statement. We're killing time. If I'm right about this, as long as the trial doesn't stop, we'll have the evidence we need."

She looked worried. Her dark eyes shone with something akin to terror, he realized, although she was trying to cover it with a confident facade. He squeezed her hand once more, smiling at her. "Come on. We're almost done. Almost done," he murmured to her repeatedly.

She took a deep breath, and then her eyes centered on the voluntary witness. "Ms. Chaudery, please begin your testimony."

Lea's head rolled back and forth as she stretched it out. Her eyes were always on the young Defense lawyer, never straying to the Prosecution or Maks. The attorney had been incredibly brave through all of this, hadn't she? Lea could match that courage, or at least that was what she told herself. "Maks and I decided to take revenge on Sine. So when we came to Washington, Maks figured out the best way to implicate him for the smuggling ring. He drugged a cup of coffee that he gave to Sine. And then, while Sine was asleep, we came in to plant the evidence. He said he couldn't do it alone. So when I planted the ink and the presses, he was doing something else. One minute he was leaned over something, and the next thing he was cursing and trying to put out a fire that had lit his shirt sleeve. We put it out with my overshirt, but the sleeve was completely burnt. He gave it to me so that the police didn't find it when they were sweeping the apartment, and I figured that it was my insurance, in case he tried to turn on me." Her eyes centered on the solid wood in front of her as she spoke now. "So I kept it. I never expected I'd really have to use it."

Kiria looked at the crestfallen girl with nothing but empathy burning in her heart. It had been painful to recall, she realized, and to cross-examine the girl would only make it worse. She bit her lip, wanting to wait for the evidence, but not wanting to do it through cross-examination.

Edgeworth was the one who resolved it. He cleared his throat, looking over meaningfully at Kiria and Lea. "I believe that this does not require any questioning. The evidence will prove her tale, if it is true."

Kiria nodded her agreement. After all, if what Lea was saying was true, the shirt should not only have dichromate residue on the sleeve, but the markings on Maks's arm would match the markings of the sleeve. Whatever had been burnt would glow green, and whatever hadn't should not.

"The Prosecution requests a recess until the evidence is received," Franziska declared forcefully, taking control of the situation.

The Judge glanced over at Kiria. "Are you sure you don't wish to cross-examine the witness?"

"I am sure, your Honor." Even as she said it, she realized that she was boxing herself in. If it didn't reveal any results, Lea Chaudery would be the sole person accused of implicating Sine Hawkins of the smuggling ring and Maks Gelrica would be free as he pleased to be.

The Judge nodded. "A ten-minute recess."

* * *

Kiria sat with her head in her hands, and Nathan felt the impending slice of the guillotine over his own neck. She stared up at him miserably. "Are we doing the right thing?" she asked in a small voice.

He could do nothing but nod and pat her shoulder, his fingers crossed behind his back until the bailiff ran in with the evidence.

* * *

"Now, Gelrica, you will submit to testing. Put the shirt on." Lang was nothing if not civil, although he seemed to be a bit rough with his movements as he jerked the shirt around the man.

Maks's eyes had a strangely dead look to them. When he saw the Defense, he shook his head in sorrow. But there was no anger behind the movement.

Lang sprayed the sleeve and the arm, and it was like two pieces of a puzzle coming together. "Maksim Gelrica, you are under arrest for the implication of Sine Hawkins and impersonating a branch of the Zheng Fa smuggling ring. Anything you say or do . . ."

Kiria felt her heart beat in her chest and a small smile break out over her face. The proceedings slowed and eventually, the Judge nodded his head. "I have to say, Ms. Nomura, Mr. Price, you put up an excellent Defense. I was a little skeptical the first day, but seeing how this trial turned out . . ." He shook his head in amazement. "I can only say I am impressed. I hope your colleagues in Los Angeles appreciate your dedication to the legal system. If they do not, you should consider coming to Washington. We could use some lawyers of your caliber.

"And that being said, I believe that Mr. Hawkins has been cleared beyond a reasonable doubt. The Court finds Sine Hawkins innocent of involvement in the Zheng Fa smuggling ring. Court is adjourned."

* * *

"We did it!" Nathan was swinging his co-council around in a congratulatory embrace, feeling a large weight drop off of his shoulders. For the first time since the trial started, he felt like he could take a real breath.

Yoshiya and Sine were approaching, giant smiles on both of their faces. Even Lea Chaudery, led by two guards, was coming near to congratulate the dynamic duo. But she had another thing on her mind.

She looked at Sine, and then they were speaking in Cohdopian. It was heated for a moment, and then a devastated expression crossed her face. Tears began to trickle as she threw herself at her ex-boyfriend. He didn't look much happier.

Kiria and Nathan looked to Yoshiya for translation.

"Well, he . . . you heard what Lea said in there, about how she wanted marriage and him moving away meant that he didn't? He's kind of clearing the air on that," Yoshiya explained.

Kiria thought for a moment. "But I don't get it. What was he thinking, contemplating proposing to her and then moving to America?"

"International Law would have allowed him to take his spouse with him to America. He was going to share his world with her."

They watched the couple as they made a tearful farewell, he as a cleared suspect and she as an accomplice to his troubles. Nathan shook his head after a minute. "It just doesn't seem right. I mean, it was all over a big misunderstanding."

"Oh, they'll probably make some deal, since her testimony was vital in solving this case. She won't be in jail for long." Yoshiya shrugged as Sine turned back. The man conversed with him for a moment, then Yoshiya turned to Kiria to relay the message. "He says that he wants to thank you for everything you did."

Kiria smiled. "It wasn't all me. He should be thanking Nathan. After all, I didn't even know about the shirt."

Nathan snorted. "It was all a guess. But seriously, I'm kind of disappointed how this turned out. I mean, his best friend betrayed him over an election." He wound an arm around Kiria. "You'd never do that to me, would you?"

She laughed. "Buy me coffee and I'll think about the answer to that question."

Everyone chuckled when Nathan started spluttering about disloyalty and the bonds of friendship.

* * *

**A/N: This is well overdue. So sorry about that; on the bright side, I finished 50k! After 3 years, it still brings me pride to finish every year. Hope everyone liked the conclusion to The Translated Turnabout! In my opinion, this was much better executed than Turnabout International, but eh, I actually had an evidence list this time!**

**On a different note, does anyone think I need a Beta Reader? I've been thinking about it for the last few weeks, and I don't know if it needs one. So I'd love some feedback and even some recommendations on good readers!**

**Comments:**

**Blaze: I hope you liked the ending! I'm trying to work on my cliffhangers; I always think they're going to be too obvious or cliched!**

**Psykit: Haha, you're just a day early! I actually meant to finish this yesterday, but it didn't end up happening. Thank you; I really like Edgeworth, so he's one of the characters I tend to focus on when I'm looking at the character, just because he really has a singular personality!**

**Read & Review?**


	28. Pleading for Turnabout

**Chapter Twenty-Seven :: Pleading for Turnabout**

Everything went black before my eyes.

Someone was trying to tug the helmet off my head, and dazed, I pushed it off and looked around. The room was dark, no longer lit by the sun outside. I could see it beginning to dip below the horizon, the sky streaked with beautiful shades of lavender and brilliant pink. My eyes ached with the effort of seeing in the dark, and I swung around to better see the person who'd been trying to pry the helmet off my head, obviously not being too gentle, if the searing sensation my ears were experiencing was any indication.

Mr. Wright stood behind me, looking expectant. I looked back at him, not quite sure what I was supposed to be reporting back about. After a minute, he grinned and shook his head. "You don't have to be ashamed that you're still disoriented, Apollo."

I figured it wasn't the time to tell him I wasn't disoriented at all. "What are you doing here?"

"It's closing time. We'll pick it back up tomorrow." His hand patted my shoulder as he said it, attempting to be reassuring.

I felt cheated. No way was it closing time! It had only been a few hours, hadn't it? It had certainly felt like it, inside the MASON system. But the sky said otherwise. I sighed, preparing to get up, but I looked back down at the helmet in my hands. "Just one more?" I pleaded.

"One more trial?" he asked, surprised.

"It's interesting!"

He chuckled. "No need to get defensive." After another minute, he went out to confer with who I assumed was Mr. Edgeworth. He came back in with a small smile on his face. "Okay, we'll let you do one more trial. It's a better stopping point anyways. Just . . . be warned. This one doesn't start happily or end that way either."

I looked at his face, the first look laced with pain that I'd seen on him since I'd started the whole thing. My heart started to sink. "This isn't . . .?"

He chuckled and shook his head in negation. "No, she doesn't disappear yet. You're only in the first year. But this is no walk in the park. If you continue, you should know there are some trials that are disturbing. Are you sure you still want to continue?"

I looked at him in concern. And then I nodded. "Yeah, I want to continue. She deserves some justice. Especially after what she did for Madeleine Hamarch. She's pretty remarkable, Mr. Wright," I confessed.

He smiled, but it looked almost like a grimace. "Yeah, she's pretty incredible. Unfortunately, getting justice for Madeleine Hamarch was probably her biggest regret." He looked grave. "Put your helmet back on. I'll start the clip."

I felt anxiety creep into my stomach. What had happened to Kiria Nomura? With a bit of misgivings at my decision, I put the helmet back on my head. Time to get some justice for her.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter served two purposes. One, it reminded you that Apollo was still there, watching. The other purpose is to tell you that up until this point, the trials have been pretty tame. While next chapter isn't as bad as it's going to get, we are going to start into some fairly disturbing themes. The next trial is one of the reasons why this was rated M until a few months ago. We're going to get into drug use in this next chapter, so if you'd rather not go into such realms, I would recommend stopping reading now.**

**You can thank my roommate for having me post this chapter so early; she said she always liked fast chapter posts, and since this one was so short, I figured it would be cranked out in a day or so. So . . . yep!**

**Comment Time!**

**Psykit: Haha, darling! I should take a picture of my "meticulous planning" for you. It really just ended up wrapping itself up nicely in a bow last time. I got lucky! But thank you for your absolutely extravagant praise. My ego thanks you. Oh, and this chapter is for you. D Now you have two chapters.**

**Read and Review!**


	29. Turnabout Creation

**Chapter Twenty-Eight :: Turnabout Creation**

They flew back to Los Angeles the following day, and it wasn't the next morning until Kiria realized she'd caught a cold sometime during the trip. She woke up feeling too warm and too cold at the same time, with awful sneezing fits and a sore throat that didn't go away for another week. "This is why I haven't went clubbing since I got out of college," she groused when Nathan came to call. "Hell, I was completely blazed by the time you found me. Who knows how many doorknobs I licked when I was drunk?" she asked rhetorically. She took two more sick days off of work before returning, not completely well again, but better than she had been earlier in the week. By the time she'd stepped into the office on Monday morning, she'd recovered from the stuffy nose and fever, but the sore throat stayed. She spent the rest of the week outside of the courtroom, a hot cup of tea in her hands and a pile of paperwork to do from the case in Washington. In all, the worst thing was realizing that she'd passed her cold along to Trucy.

But it seemed that that being sick was when the girl did her best thinking.

"Daddy, what's your talent?" she asked one day as Phoenix came into her room in order to bring her some soup. He set down the steaming bowl, trying to rack his brain for an answer to her question. He was also interested in what had brought it on, but Trucy tended to be fairly transparent in her motives once any conversation had progressed past the opening question.

"Well . . . I . . ." His voice trailed off as he realized that being a lawyer _had_ been his talent. What else did he have? He was the owner of the law office, but other than that, he didn't do much. "I . . . play piano, I suppose," he said, lying through his teeth. In all reality, he'd went through two piano lessons before his teacher had given up on him and told him that should he exhibit musical talent, it would be on the drums or something that required much less technical training.

Trucy beamed up at him. "And Mommy channels ghosts, right?"

He covered his mouth to hide the grin on his face at her calling Maya "Mommy". She'd been doing it more and more lately, as it became obvious that Maya was staying. "Right. But why the questions?"

She ignored his. "What does Auntie Kiria do?"

"She's a lawyer, honey. She defends people who have been wrongly accused of crimes."

A smile worked its way over her features. "And I'm a magician!"

Phoenix nodded, not quite sure what his daughter was getting into. He seated himself at the foot of her bed, patience oozing from every pore. "What are you thinking about, Truce?"

"We should make a talent agency! Everyone has a talent, and we're just wasting them like this! Let's make the Wright Talent Agency! It'll feature you, Daddy, with your award-winning piano playing, and then there'll be the Amazing Maya who summons ghosts from the dead. And Auntie Kiria, who defends the weak, like a Superhero! And I'll entertain our clients until I become a good enough magician to perform on stages!" Her eyes shone with optimism, he realized, no trace of the fever that had glazed over her gaze earlier in the week. She was completely serious about this. "Come on, Daddy, it'll be a good idea!"

It was a child's dream, but he didn't want to crush it right there. "I'll think about it, okay?" he asked. "Now be a good girl and eat your soup. You've got to get better before you can practice your magic tricks again."

She nodded faithfully, and he got up, kissing her forehead and shutting the door behind him. As soon as she heard his footsteps fade down the hallway, she pulled out Mr. Hat and got down to more practicing.

* * *

He couldn't sleep that night. Trucy's idea weighed in on his mind as he wondered how he was going to break it to her that they could never do such an idea. He hadn't even consulted Kiria or Maya about it, convinced they'd think it was as foolish as he did. But now, tossing and turning next to Maya, he wished he'd said something to them. They might have a better idea of what to say to Trucy.

After an hour of his restlessness, Maya finally sat up and looked at him with skeptical eyes. "Okay, what's on your mind?" she asked. He'd thought she'd been sleeping, but her voice wasn't buffeted with any of the signs of having been woken up. "Seriously, Nick," she said when he didn't respond. "Neither of us is going to get any sleep tonight if you keep on like this. What's up?"

He looked at her, contemplating whether to bring it up now or to wait until morning. But it wasn't letting him sleep, and both he and Maya would be cranky in the morning if this was any indication. "Trucy brought up the idea of making Wright and Co. into a Talent Agency, specializing in our talents."

He saw Maya's face, eyes showing her thoughts as she pondered it. After a minute, she smiled. "I think it's a good idea." When he looked at her in shock, she rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Nick, what are we doing right now? Kiria's supporting this office alone, and we have talents, don't we?" There was a gleam in her eyes that showed him that she had an idea. "I mean, I have to become the Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique one of these days. It can be practice, and good media!"

"But Maya, how are we going to do this? It's not feasible. No one's going to come to the office of a lawyer who has been disbarred!"

Maya's mouth twisted up in a smirk. "Actually, they're coming. Ever since Kiria got back from Washington, the phone's been ringing off the hook for clients. She's had to turn them all down because she's sick, but it seems like they don't care that there was a formerly disbarred lawyer here." Phoenix's face showed his remaining skepticism, and Maya sighed heavily. "Come on, Nick. It's not that you've been disbarred that's stopping you from doing this. What is?"

As soon as she'd said it, he knew exactly what his problem was, and why he'd figured it was impossible. "Maya, what's my talent?"

She blinked in surprise. "Oh," she said softly, thinking it over. He'd been a lawyer. Now what? "Well, you could always become a PI!"

"Oh yes. Because everyone trusts the investigations of a lawyer who previously forged evidence," he said sarcastically.

"Right." Maya thought about it some more, lips pursed with the effort. "What about playing poker? I mean, you beat Shadi Enigmar, didn't you?"

"Yes, but Maya, I'm not some legendary poker player. Besides, who commissions a poker player?"

Her face fell as she looked at his points. He was right, unfortunately. "Well, for a while, you can be the owner and do all of the accounting stuff. But I'm sure we'll find a talent for you soon enough!" she said cheerfully, leaning over to peck him on the cheek. "Phoenix Wright, expert toilet cleaner!" she said in jest, quickly flipping over to face the wall before he could retaliate back.

He couldn't help the grin that touched his face. But he knew he'd have to talk to Kiria about it before launching such a remodel.

* * *

As they rearranged the office, he noted how easy it had been to get Kiria to agree. She'd taken the office for her law practice, and Maya had claimed the reception desk for her own clients. Unfortunately, it had meant moving the couch out of the office and back into the main area. Kiria had enlisted Nathan's help, and Phoenix had been disappointed that Edgeworth had a trial until later, but had promised to drop by afterwards. Who did lend a hand, however, had him completely shocked.

"Fool! Do not put it there!" The whip cracked, and Nathan dropped his end of the couch as it connected with his bare cheek. Kiria, unfortunately, had the other end, and she almost dropped it as well.

"Franziska! You couldn't wait to do that until we had the couch down?" she chided, setting her end down gently.

She'd been afraid that there would be a large amount of tension between herself and the Prosecutor, but Franziska had eyed her with suspicion before reaching her hand out to shake. They weren't exactly best friends at this point, but they were allies, she had to admit. It had taken Franziska a lot to lose that trial, and it had taken a lot for Kiria to win it the way she had. There was an amount of respect that kept them from being at each others' throats.

Franziska scoffed. "I didn't expect that fool to drop his end!" She rewarded him with another whip lash. The respect hadn't ranged out to her co-council, as was obvious enough. In fact, poor Nathan had spent the last week under Franziska's council as she taught him the diplomacy needed to deal with international criminals. He'd taken on an unfortunate case that he hadn't had the experience for.

"He looked like he was about to drop it anyways," Maya remarked cheerfully, throwing herself to sit down on the couch of discussion. "I kinda like this. It's facing that corner, which looks like it needs dusted, now that I look at it." She grinned as the others rolled their eyes. "On the other hand, I can watch Charlie better this way."

"Oh yes, because he moves _so_ often." Kiria plopped down next to her coworker. "On the other hand, if we had a TV in here instead of the office, this would be a perfect place to put it."

Franziska looked like she was about to say something, but there was a knock at the door instead. "Our first customer?" Trucy asked, running out of the office in excitement. She was allowed to open the door, and did so with a giant smile on her face. "Welcome to the Wright Talent Agency! How can we help you?"

The man looked slightly disturbed, but he had his grin back on his face in a heartbeat. "I'm looking for Kiria Nomura and Nathaniel Price," he said, tapping his pencil against his hand. "Are they here?"

Trucy turned, looking downcast, but Kiria and Nathan were already going to the door. "What can we do for you?" Kiria asked.

The man lit up like a flashlight. He smelled overpoweringly of mint, she noticed, and there was a toothbrush tucked into his shirt pocket. "Spark Brushel's the name; I'm a beginning Freelance Journalist." He reached out his hand for them to shake, and Kiria tried not to look too disconcerted. "Off the record, I've been trying to find a good story to impress my new boss with. And when I saw your trial, I knew I had it!" He shook the pencil at them, as if he were scolding them. "Quite an impressive show!"

Kiria stared at Nathan in alarm. This guy was talking really fast, and for a second language learner, he was going a bit too fast for her immediate comprehension. He took over. "Would you mind speaking a little slower? We're off work; Kiria here just woke up a few hours ago. She's not fully awake, you know." He squeezed her shoulder affectionately.

Spark blinked in comprehension, and then nodded. "Well, of course! So sorry; off the record, I'm pretty new at this whole investigative journalism stuff. I'm a little nervous, especially being in the presence of two legendary attorneys like yourselves! Anyways, could I get an interview with you two? I've been trying to reach you for weeks, but it seems to have been unsuccessful."

Kiria and Nathan exchanged glances, then shrugged. "Sure, why not?" Kiria asked. "Come on in."

He came in, and seeing the amount of people inside, grimaced. "Is there somewhere private we can go?"

Phoenix nodded, jerking his thumb at the office. "There's chairs in there. Knock yourself out."

When they were arranged accordingly and the door was shut, Spark leaned forward to look at them both. "So, can I get some information about you two? I mean, I've tried googling you both, but it doesn't give much. What can I tell the readers about you two?"

Nathan thought for a second, and seeing as Kiria wasn't contributing anything, figured he was starting first. "Well, I'm a Public Prosecutor. I went to the University of Southern California for my undergraduate degree and the University of California Berkeley for my _Juris Doctor_." He paused for another minute, racking his brain for more information a reader would want. "What else should I say?"

"Do you have any famous relatives?"

"My dad's the Governor of New Mexico, I guess."

"Great!" Spark was writing on his arm, of all things, in a dark felt-tipped pen. "The readers will just eat that up! And you, my lady lawyer?"

Kiria's mouth twisted. She'd been trying to stay out of the media, and she had to be careful not to say too much, but in all honesty, there wasn't much she knew she shouldn't say. "I'm a Defense Attorney at Wright Talent Agency," she said, remembering to give her new place of employment. It would be good PR, hopefully. "I went to the same schools as Nathan. We're old college friends, actually. And um . . . well, my sister is Mariko Nomura, the fashion designer."

"The one who did the _Purimabera_ collection?" Spark seemed interested at this, writing furiously. "A critically acclaimed sister, huh?"

Kiria nodded. "It's a lot to live up to."

Their conversation lasted for a half hour or so, consisting mostly of Spark asking questions about the Reiko Horiyama trial, and a few regarding the Sine Hawkins case (but not too many, at Nathan's request). By that point, Kiria had fully loosened up, rolling her shoulders and speaking freely. She still minded what she said, especially regarding Madeleine and Evangeline, but she was pleased how few questions pertained to them and how many had to do with the trial itself and the evidence that went along with it. She was laughing as much as Nathan was by that point, impressed how easily this interview was going.

He'd requested a picture of everyone at the Wright Talent Agency, and she, Maya, Phoenix, and Trucy posed in front of the door. On a whim, looking around at the other attorneys, he asked, "May I have a picture of all of you to publish?"

There were no objections, and they lined up in front of the couch, trying to fit in the picture. Nathan had his arm slung around Franziska's shoulders, leaning in from the far side. Edgeworth, who had arrived only minutes before, stood next to Franziska, hands in his pockets. Kiria knelt in front of him, her head about the same height as Trucy's, who had struck a dramatic pose with hands out and a beatific smile on her face. Maya stood next to Edgeworth, hand slipped discreetly into Phoenix's. When he took the picture, he had to admit it, they looked almost like a family together.

And then Franziska ruined the moment by flicking her whip at Nathan. "Hands off, fool!"

Or, he pondered, perhaps that was what made them a family.

* * *

Kiria had been promised a copy of the picture, but a month later, she still hadn't received it. She sighed inwardly. The paper had run the picture of the Wright Talent Agency staff and a picture of her and Nathan, but no group picture. She'd wanted it to put on her desk, but for now, she had to make due with the Wright Talent Agency one. It stood next to the picture of herself, Mariko, and Yoshiya, with a small picture of Kimiko tucked into the corner of the frame. She had two families, and she felt oddly proud of both. Her American family and her Japanese family.

The phone rang, and Maya called out from the reception desk, "It's a client!"

Kiria smothered her sighs and answered it. Family wasn't important at this point; it was time to start working.

* * *

**A/N: Another short chapter, mostly meant as a bridge chapter. I'm in the middle of Finals right now, otherwise I might have put another scene in, but I liked the ending to be right there. I thought it was a good time. Next chapter is the first of the new trial, which has no evidence list or name yet, so it might be a few days. Also, I'm moving back into my house, so the chapter may be further delayed!**

**Comments! What was it about last chapter that motivated so many to comment? Not that I'm complaining, but . . . **

**Blaze: Thank you! Now it's all about earning up to such praise when the action starts unfolding!**

**Timeless Blade: Thank you so much! Your praise is really quite appreciated! I'm really glad that you're liking it so far, and I hope you continue to tell me what you like and don't like as the story goes on!**

**Psykit: Haha, I was afraid of getting too dark too fast, but believe me, we're going to get properly dark, especially after the feel-good chapter I just wrote. D: I feel like these are my weak points. But thank you, my dear, and keep reading! c:**

**Zorua: Oh my! This certainly isn't a typical Phoenix/Maya fanfiction (haha, my writing of fluff is sub par, especially compared to so many on here!), but I'm glad I gave you a good impression! But I do appreciate your praise about my characters and writing. I feel like Apollo Justice is a good jump to the future, and I enjoyed the game, as well as it gives a good frame for the story. As for the thing about Kiria, I think it all depends on the person. I always found Kiria to be the type to put self-preservation first, and there'll be some good reasoning for that in later chapters. But thank you so much for your reviews!**

**Read and Review? **


	30. Turnabout Secrets: Part 1

**Chapter Twenty-Nine :: Turnabout Secrets :: Part One**

_He watched her as she exited the court lobby. She'd been a harsh adversary with her cross-examination the day before, hammering him on detail after detail. Too bad she didn't realize the whole trial was staged. She'd played her part well, but it was time to dispose of her._

_She smiled up at the Prosecutor as he said something witty, but he was too far away to hear. They were friends, he could tell by their courtroom debates and now their gentle teasing. Miles Edgeworth was a hard horse to lead, he had realized earlier, and he was making it hard to orchestrate the trial the way it needed to go. The ending wasn't going to end the way it was supposed to if this carried on._

_Damn, how he wished it was Evangeline up on the Prosecutor's Bench! She'd been good at her job when she'd been a Defense Attorney, and she'd taken pains to coordinate the Prosecution at times. This would have been no problem._

_But it was that attorney who had stopped her. And it was she that would have to pay for it._

_He readjusted his glasses and went to pay for a cup of coffee._

* * *

Kiria grinned up at Edgeworth, her rival in this trial, and still a good friend after all of this. The trial had been a difficult one so far, but she thought she'd finally found the evidence that would cement her case once and for all. She just had to cross-examine the witness from yesterday again, and then everything would fall beautifully into place. "Well, at least it'll be over quickly," she teased.

He rolled his eyes, stuffing his hands in the pocket of his magenta jacket. "Oh, spare me. You and Franziska have been spending too much time together, apparently. Ten minutes? Fifteen? What's your guess?"

She contemplated it dramatically, a hand posed at her chin and eyes looking to the sky. "Oh, I was thinking five. Ten at the most." Her grin was back on her face almost immediately afterwards, a giggle escaping her mouth before she could quell it.

"I'll hold you to that." He laughed good-naturedly.

She was going to respond, but the aforementioned witness, Elias Whitman, ran up to the duo of lawyers, two cups of coffee in his hand. "Ms. Nomura?"

She looked at him in confusion. "Can I help you?" She wasn't even sure she was supposed to be talking to a witness before the trial, but since he'd approached her, in front of the Prosecutor, no less, she figured she was exonerated.

Elias held out one of the cups of coffee. "I felt so bad about the trouble you went through yesterday during my testimony that I felt I should make it up to you somehow. I know it's not much, but please, take this cup of coffee."

She was surprised, and allowed the expression to show on her face, but nodded in appreciation. "Thank you. I . . . I don't know what to say. Thank you very much, and please, don't apologize for your testimony. It was quite decisive." She smiled at him, holding the cup close to her.

"Well, I guess I'm glad. Good luck." He nodded and smiled as he walked away.

She took an experimental sip and made a face. "It tastes like cream and sugar. I can barely taste the coffee in it," she noted before taking another sip. "Would you like some?"

Edgeworth shook his head. "No thank you. Why don't you just throw it away?"

"But that would be rude!" She looked taken aback by the mere thought. "No, I'll finish it. We still have ten minutes before the trial. I should be able to force it down."

He shook his head again at her insistence on being polite to the extent that she'd drink something she detested so obviously. "Well, I hope you enjoy it at least a little. What do you say to lunch after the trial, win or lose?"

"I say that would be lovely." She gave him another smile, this one filled with gratitude. "If you'll please excuse me, I see Maya with my client. I'll hold you to lunch afterwards."

* * *

There was a dizzy feeling that washed over her as she walked into the courtroom. Her stomach felt like it was made of lead and she was finding it hard to concentrate with everything going on around her.

"Hey, are you okay?" Maya sounded concerned as she leaned over the Defense bench to get a good look at the attorney.

"Hm?" Kiria tried to look at her co-council and had to fight to focus her eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine. It must be all of that sugar in the coffee; add that onto an empty stomach, and it's not a pretty combination. I'll be fine," she reassured the spirit medium.

"Do you want me to go buy you something? I think there's pretzels in the vending machine," she volunteered.

Kiria shook her head. "The trial's about to start, and it's not a good sign to my client if my co-council goes running out the doors the minute we get in here. No, you should stay, and we'll go to lunch with Edgeworth after the trial and all will be good." Her speech was beginning to slur, she realized, and she needed to work on that, or else it would be hard to understand her. Even her accent was starting to slip.

"Okay," Maya chirped, convinced.

"We're beginning the trial of Laytonne vs. State of California. Would you like to give your opening statement, Mr. Edgeworth?" the Judge asked.

The courtroom was blurry. Edgeworth's voice seemed monotonous and all of the words seemed to run together without stops for breath or even pause for emphasis. She couldn't understand what he was saying. Kiria rubbed her eyes, trying to pay more attention. She needed to know what he was saying so that she could rebuke it. But it was unintelligible. Her head swam and bobbed in a sea of nausea. There were strange pains in her stomach, sharp and distinct.

"Kiria!" Maya gasped, elbowing her urgently. "He just accused your client! You've got to say something before the trial ends!"

"O—Objection!" she called out, still not sure what she was supposed to be saying. Her tongue felt swollen in her mouth as she spoke. She pondered this for a long moment, causing silence to brew in the courtroom.

"Are you going to give a reason for your objection, Ms. Nomura?" the Judge finally asked.

Kiria swallowed, blinking in surprise. She could see his mouth move, but it wasn't making sense in her brain. All she could hear was a dull roar, but she wasn't sure where it was originating from. "It's . . . _Ano . . . Eeto . . ._" She was having problems making sentences in Japanese, let alone English.

Everything started spinning. Her knees came out from under her.

Without warning, Kiria Nomura passed out, her head making a loud thump against the bench as it hit.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, she was hooked up to an IV, doctors rushing around her in alarm. They were speaking some medical language that Maya didn't understand, and she stood next to Edgeworth, wringing her hands together in worry. She watched through the window, her eyes sparkling with tears.

One of the doctors rushed out, and Edgeworth caught her by the arm. "Will she be alright?" he asked.

The doctor shook her head. "I don't know yet."

"What happened?" he asked.

"We won't know until her blood work comes back. Please sit in the waiting room, and we'll inform you when we know anything." The doctor walked off quickly, taking another look at the chart in her hand and running down one of the side hallways.

Edgeworth looked at the girl in the bed and then at the young spirit medium beside him. "Come on. We'll wait in the waiting room with Wright and Price when they come."

She looked at him with watery eyes before nodding slowly.

* * *

"What happened?" Nathan demanded as he walked in. He was the last to arrive, after Phoenix, Trucy, and even Franziska. He'd been in the middle of a trial, and had sped to the hospital as soon as he'd been informed.

"The doctors still don't know," Maya sighed, looking down at her hands. Phoenix rubbed her back, holding Trucy on his lap. "She just collapsed in the middle of the trial. She was looking kind of pale, and then she fainted."

"They've had her for an hour now, and they still don't know. The doctor told me earlier that until her blood work comes in, they won't know what it was," Edgeworth said, looking grave.

Almost as if on cue, the doctor from earlier came into the waiting room. "We've received the results from Miss Nomura's blood test. She's been poisoned with Rydientrol, which is often fatal. Coupled with the caffeine in her system, it hit hard and quick. That being said, she seems to be holding up so far. It'll be touch-and-go through the night, and if she survives through that, her chances of living go up by a good amount."

"Do you know what caused it?" Nathan asked, softening with the information. A devastated expression was etched across his face.

She shook her head. "No, we don't know. On the other hand, she's weak, but she's awake. I'll let you in to visit as long as you promise not to stress her out."

The faces in front of her lit up like lights on Christmas.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Maya cried, throwing her arms around the doctor.

The doctor smiled gently. "I'm just doing my job. No need to thank me."

* * *

She looked frail, trapped in the white linen sheets as she was. Her eyes were rimmed red and she was paler than anyone could ever remember her being, but at least her eyes were sharp now. "I must have screwed up pretty bad," she croaked weakly as they filed in.

Trucy wailed suddenly, throwing herself at the hospital bed and crawling on top, hugging the lawyer tightly. Kiria embraced the girl back, holding her close and making sure that she wasn't tugging on any of the various wires and tubes hooked up to her arms and face. "I'm sorry, dear," she murmured into the girl's hair as she cried.

"It's not your fault," Nathan said fiercely.

"What happened?" she asked, releasing Trucy and settling back into the pillows.

"You haven't been told?"

She shook her head. "No one has told me anything." Her voice was raspy, and she reached for the water glass on the far table.

Edgeworth handed it to her, perching on the nearby chair. "You were poisoned. We need to find out how. What did you do today?"

"Poisoned?" she asked, although it didn't have the curious lilt it usually would have. He realized she was exhausted already, although they'd only been speaking for a few minutes. "I . . . I didn't do much today. I woke up, skipped breakfast, and ran to the courthouse."

"What did you eat?" Franziska asked, her voice much more gentle than it would normally have been.

She shook her head. "Nothing. I just had that coffee—" She broke off suddenly as she realized what she'd just said, and Edgeworth froze in understanding.

It had been the coffee she'd received from the witness that morning. "The cream and sugar . . ." he started, remembering her complaints.

"It must have masked the taste of the poison," she said, sounding tired. Her eyes fluttered closed again, and she leaned her head back against the pillow, her face paling a few shades.

"Hey, are you feeling okay?" Phoenix asked, touching her hand lightly. His voice was quiet, as if talking any louder might break her, shatter her like glass.

"Fine," she managed to wheeze in a breathy voice. Her teeth were clenched together as pains terrorized her stomach and the nausea came back. She squeezed her eyes closed, trying to ward the sensation away, but it wasn't going away. Nathan waved a nearby nurse in, and she checked the chart before tending to the girl in the bed.

"She needs rest," the nurse finally decried, ushering them out of the room. "Unless you have a burning question, it's best that she sleeps. The more time she spends unconscious, the less time she spends in pain." But there was something in the nurse's eyes that showed empathy. She knew what it was like for them. She'd been on the other side of the glass, watching as someone she loved struggled for their life. And knowing that she could do nothing was the worst feeling in the world. "Perhaps you should look into the poisoning," she recommended, wanting to help.

They nodded numbly as they filed out.

* * *

They stood awkwardly in the waiting room before Edgeworth finally pulled out his cell phone. "Detective," he greeted coolly. "I want Elias Whitman taken in for attempted murder."

"_Sure thing, Mr. Edgeworth,_" Gumshoe replied cheerfully. "_But whose attempted murder am I arresting this guy for?_"

"Kiria Nomura's. I want all information on him, as well as any cross-referencing you can find between the two of them. And post haste. Time is ticking." He hung up without waiting for another word.

Nathan cleared his throat. "I want to prosecute the case." His eyes burned with a strong fire, anger smoldering. "I want to get this sick sonofabitch who put her in here."

"You as much as the rest of us," Franziska cut in coldly. "Has Yoshiya Nomura been informed?"

Nathan nodded. "I called him as soon as I found out. He's coming from somewhere in Texas; he should be landing in an hour or so."

"We can all help," Maya said, cutting some of the tension that had been building up. "Nick and I can search for evidence and keep an eye on Kiria. Can't you all be co-councils? Together, there's no way we can't figure out what happened."

Edgeworth shook his head. "No, we can't all be co-council. The main attorney can have one co-council. But we'll figure that out later. In the meantime, we need to know what happened, and I agree with Ms. Fey. This isn't going to be easy, especially seeing as court security on poisons has been increased since the Diego Armando case. How did he get the poison inside of the courtroom?" he thought aloud.

Franziska shook her head. "Forensics can tell us where the poison came from and the timeframe that it was deposited in the coffee in. I'll get them on it." She had been subdued since coming to the hospital, her eyes not having the same cruel look as before.

"There's got to be something between the previous crime and this one, right? I was part of the Defense; Nick and I can try to find a link between them," Maya volunteered.

"Where's Trucy supposed to go?" Phoenix pointed out.

Nathan shook his head. "You stay with Trucy. I'll go with Maya." There was still a veiled distrust of Phoenix behind his eyes, but he'd decided early on that he liked Maya. "I don't know specifics, but I do know some basic information about the case."

"And I'll look at the crime scene," Edgeworth said in a finalized tone.

"With a bit of luck, we'll solve this case before she gets out of the hospital." Nathan smiled a wan smile. "And it'll feel good to do something productive."

"Then get going. I'll stay here and wait for news on her condition." Phoenix tugged on one of his sweatshirt strings, trying to mask the uselessness he felt, but realizing that it was better for him to stay. "Trucy and I can hold down the fort, can't we?" he asked his daughter. She nodded resolutely, her face completely serious. "Now go on. I'll keep you all updated."

There was a flurry of crumpled expressions as they realized what they were about to go up against, outside of the hospital, and then, pulling strength from one another, composed themselves.

It was going to take a lot of work to stop the man who had done this. Maya crossed her fingers behind her back . United as they were, they had to find the perpetrator. They had to figure out why this had happened.

_Right?_

* * *

**A/N: Pretty short chapter compared to most of the others, but I wanted to set this up before the rest of the investigations and trials went on. This will be set up a little differently than most chapters; instead of having it in a limited view, you're going to see all of the investigation styles with all of the characters. Sound good? On the other hand, this will make the investigations pretty long. Or at least that's what I'm envisioning. It all changes when I start writing it, believe me.**

**Oh, and here was the beginning of the darkest trial of The First Strike. I hope you all enjoy it! **

**Comments:**

**Blaze: Oh, I'm glad you liked it! Haha, I'm always a little cautious to do fluff, just because I think it's my weakest link. I'm really glad you like the Phoenix/Maya pairing in this; it's not really typical in most stories, I've noticed (then again, a lot of stories I've read tend to go for really fast relationships, whereas I've always thought Nick would be kinda slow and steady, you know?). **

**Zorua: I would really recommend playing Apollo Justice to answer some of those questions. Spark Brushel was an Apollo Justice character, but I won't exonerate him; after all, a little bit of suspense makes it all the more interesting, hm?**

**Psykit: So do more fluff? I've got the picture in my mind's eye; now if I could only draw it! Awww, thank you dear! I'm honored that you think my writing and characters are so good. I just hope I can keep it up!**

**On another note, if anyone would like to draw the picture in the last chapter, I can give a better description. Message me if you're interested!**

**Read and Review!**


	31. Turnabout Secrets: Investigation 1a

**Chapter ****Thirty :: Turnabout Secrets :: Investigation :: Day 1 :: Part 1**

Franziska

The first thing Franziska did after exiting the hospital was call a former ally. She'd never seen anyone as proficient at keeping a team disciplined and moving along as quickly as she'd seen him do, and he was one of the only people she trusted to deal with such a task, although she'd never have admitted it. Her breath caught as she heard the ring go once, twice, three times. She was reaching out for help, dammit, just like he'd told her she should! Shame washed over her. Not only was she asking for help, but she was failing!

He picked up on the fourth ring. "_Lang here._"

Relief flooded into her, but she couldn't let it show. She bit back with a vengeance. "What the hell took you so long?"

"_Hey sister. What's got you all worked up?_"

"Are you working a case right now?" If he was currently working a case, she couldn't tear him away from it.

"_Nope; just got done with one in San Diego. Why?_" He sounded genuinely curious, but he obviously knew better than to push her buttons when she sounded so stressed.

She gritted her teeth. This was the hard part. Would her lips even form the word? "I need your help." She shuddered at the word and made an apology to her dead father. A von Karma should never stoop so low, but it was for a good cause.

Manfred von Karma had never realized that his daughter couldn't do everything perfectly.

He made a noise of surprise, but kept his tongue under control. "_What can I do?_"

"Kiria Nomura has been poisoned."

"_The Defense lawyer from the Hawkins case? You're kidding me. What'd she do?_" He sounded completely disarmed by the thought. She was a sweet girl, although she had a stubborn streak a mile wide and took a few too many chances, as far as he was concerned.

Franziska shook her head. "We don't know. We need a forensic team, and I don't care for any of them here to do as good of a job. I need perfect evidence to create a perfect case," she snapped suddenly, feeling back into her dominating role. "And to do that, I need someone who isn't completely incompetent."

"_I can be in LA in an hour. Meanwhile, I need you to collect evidence. Be sure not to touch any of it; use gloves to bag it and label it. I'm bringing my men. We'll figure out what happened to her, don't worry._"

"I wasn't worrying!" she denied ferociously.

He chuckled. "_Oh, and sis? It's good to see you taking advice every once in a while. You should do it more often._"

She groaned loudly, resisting the urge to rip him apart limb by limb and hung up. If he needed help, he'd call. After all, the only proper way to respond to such pride was to take his own advice.

She waved down a nearby cab, kicking into gear. It was time to get cracking on this case. Franziska vowed to dismantle it before Kiria Nomura had even fully understood what had happened to her.

* * *

Maya & Nathan

"Where to?" Nathan asked, holding out his arm for the young maiden beside him. She linked hers through, holding their intertwined arms close to her body. She felt vulnerable, like she was a cup of coffee away from joining her friend in the hospital.

Maya pressed her lips together. "The police took her bag with all of the evidence in it when she fainted. Maybe there was something in there that made her a target?"

"I wonder if she had a decisive piece of evidence." He looked at his watch for something to look at, trying to walk through the thought. If she'd been poisoned due to a piece of evidence she'd happened to come upon, they were putting themselves in danger in the hopes of solving the case.

Somehow the realization made him feel better. She'd put her life on the line to solve this case, although she probably hadn't expected it to come to this. It was only fair that they do the same.

"Did she say anything about the case?" he asked Maya, hoping that she'd shared her thoughts with her co-council, but remembering his own experience at her side. It was probably completely subconscious, but she tended to keep the mechanics of the case to herself, save any lingering doubts she had about the case. She was a secretive attorney, keeping everything safe in her head until the moment it would be unveiled and she would dominate the case.

Maya shook her head. "I'm kind of a symbolic co-council; I'm not so good at the legal stuff. My sister was the attorney, not me."

"I'm sure you're more than that," he reassured her absently. His mind was on the case at hand. "In any case, let's get over to the police station. We can't do anything without the evidence."

The walk was short, but quiet. Both were lost in their own thoughts, Nathan recreating all of the situations he could think of and Maya wondering what had went wrong. Her dark eyes showed the shadows she felt inside. She played back over the scene that she had seen in the courtroom. She'd stared in disbelief and alarm, and then she'd started screaming and clawing at her friend's arms like that would bring her back into animation. The coffee had been the last thing on her mind. It had been the hope that there would be no blood, not like she'd seen on her mother when she'd died. Guilt washed over her as she'd realized her primary wish was not of her friend's safety, but of her own sanity, for she'd worked so hard to keep it forged so strong for so long. Any more death, especially so soon, would have shattered her beyond repair. Could still shatter her beyond repair, she amended as she thought about the current predicament Kiria Nomura was in. She could still die.

All because of one measly cup of coffee.

She'd worked herself up into a rage by the time they finally reached the police station. She felt as tightly strung as an extended piano string, so taut that at the wrong pressure, she'd snap in two. She'd taken it out on the poor detective who had told her, "All of the evidence is going into forensic testing. You can't have it right now."

"What do you mean we can't have it right now?" she demanded, her eyes daring him to question her.

"Just what I said. The forensic testing hasn't been done yet. You can have the case files, but nothing else." He looked away when she glowered at him. "Listen, I'm just doing my job."

"You're just covering your ass, you mean!" she retorted hotly. It was so out of her character to get so angry, and especially speak so crudely, but she'd reached the end of her rope. "We need this evidence!"

"Maya, perhaps this isn't the way we're going to get it," Nathan suggested, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"We're trying to save her life and stop the man who poisoned her, and you're only standing in the way!" she shrieked, her voice reaching a higher octave.

"Hey, pal. What's going on?" Detective Gumshoe appeared to put Nathan out of his misery, relieving him of the need to drag Maya out the door until she calmed down. Perhaps they should have collaborated on their approach; Maya seemed determined to do the whole "Good Cop, Bad Cop" routine.

"Detective!" he gasped, unable to do anything but smile brightly.

"He won't let us see the evidence Kiria had!" Maya said, looking close to tears.

Gumshoe nodded. "You can thank Miss von Karma for that one. She demanded none of the evidence be touched until Agent Lang arrives."

Maya's face fell. This nameless detective who she'd shouted at, she could be angry at. But not Franziska, who was on the same side as the rest of them. "Really?"

"Sorry to say so, pal."

She looked like she was about to burst into tears. Nathan put an arm around her shoulders, accustomed to the strange mood swings that came along with a stressed girl. After all, his best friend was one who worried about every little thing until it all fell into place. "But we can see the case files?"

"Yep. Those have been checked for fingerprints and such, and nothing registered." The detective smiled at them. "You're free to keep them or do as you'd like."

"Thank you, detective," Maya said, both thanking Gumshoe and apologizing to the man who she'd recently screamed at.

"C'mon. Let's go." Nathan kept his arm around the spirit medium, steering her around to the document room.

They pored over the case files and personnel files that had been in her bag. "Let's see. The client was Hermia Laytonne, sister to the victim, Angela Laytonne. Angela died from a knife wound to the heart. The police arrested Hermia on murder charges because of their mutual love of a man, Lysander Triton."

"They think she killed her sister because of a man? That's a stretch," Maya said, looking disgusted.

Nathan shrugged. "I've seen people killed for less." He picked up the file, motioning the Detective to come over to them. "Can we take these?" he asked Gumshoe.

The detective thought it over. "Well, pal, I don't see why not. Go ahead; it's not like we don't have the files for backup if we need them later."

"What do we need them for?" Maya asked.

"For evidence later. I think we should go see Hermia Laytonne and see what was actually going on in this trial."

* * *

Edgeworth

He took the first cab to the courthouse that he found, citing an emergency as the reason for cutting in line. The original clients, an elderly couple, seemed happy enough to allow him to take their taxi, even smiling at him when he asked. He might have felt more repentant, had he actually allowed himself to think about it. His mind was focused on the case at hand. He had to have run over it a thousand and one times before the cab parked. There was nothing in this case to have prompted the poisoning of the Defense Attorney. Unless, of course, a mistrial had been the desired outcome.

But why take it that far?

After all, the nurse had said that the poison might kill her. Likely kill her, even. There were easier ways to start a mistrial, and committing murder wasn't one of them.

For the first time, he allowed himself to think about the possibility that the coffee had been a ploy to kill her. It wasn't pleasant. After all, as someone he considered to be a close friend, he didn't want to think about her possibly impending doom. He didn't want the last conversation, which had been fraught with everyone's worries, to be their last conversation.

He didn't know all of her enemies, but the one he did know stood out the clearest among the possibilities. It also meant that they'd need Interpol's assistance, if his hunch was right.

He hoped his hunch wasn't right. He sincerely hoped that all of this was an unfortunate accident. His practicality just didn't allow him to believe it.

But that was all ridiculous until he could prove it. As the cab stopped in front of the courthouse, he stepped out fluidly. It was time to do what he did best. _Investigate_.

He'd expected Franziska to be there first (after all, she'd left a good amount of time before he had), but she was nowhere to be found. He shook that away from his mind and focused instead on the scene.

There was a giant throng of agents around the trash cans, probably all trying to find the elusive coffee cup that would probably be the main piece of evidence in the case against Elias Whitman. He didn't even attempt to get close. Instead, he was looking out for any other strange things that would reveal themselves to him. After all, he'd paced this lobby for years. He'd seen the various changes it. Certainly he could pinpoint one now?

But it was filled with police officers with panicked looks on their faces, who talked in stressed voices. There were so many changes in it that he could only see the large ones in front of his face. Anything small would quickly be eclipsed.

There was no doubt in his mind that he would gain nothing from staring around here. He needed to get to the heart of things, fast.

Where had the cup of coffee come from? And what about tracing the poison? When had it been put in? There were a lot of questions still left to answer, and the only place he had that he could gain these answers quickly from was the security cameras.

He sprinted up to the security office, privately praising the courthouse for installing new ones recently.

* * *

Phoenix & Trucy

They had been sitting in the waiting room for a long time before the nurse came back out. She looked unhappy when she spotted them, her eyes downcast and her mouth pressed together. "You were with Kiria Nomura earlier, right?" she asked.

Phoenix looked up, alarmed. Trucy kept playing across the room, pushing the blocks around with her foot as she attempted to entertain herself. "What happened?" he asked quietly.

She shook her head. "We're very sorry, but she's slipped into a coma. It's not necessarily bad news; it may just be that her body is utilizing all of the energy in order to heal itself. But . . . it tends to be bad news, as you can guess . . ." Her voice trailed off as she delivered the bad news, unable to meet his eyes again.

His blood ran cold, but he tried not to show it as he looked at her broken expression. He could see how much she hated this, how much she wanted to tell him otherwise. He put a hand on her arm, putting on a brave smile. "Thank you so much for informing us. I know . . . I know you like it just about as much as I do."

She sighed. She had been emotionally protected better as a Medical Examiner. She'd never had to apologize to the dead for the shortcomings of the living. She'd never been forced to look into the eyes of the friends and family of a loved one and give them hope that their child, husband, mother, any of those would survive against all odds. She'd never been bound by the living to cater to the living. At least with the dead, there had been satisfaction at the end of the day. "On the other hand, you can sit in her room now. It's highly unlikely she'll wake up in an earthquake, let alone the quiet you and your daughter have been residing in." She attempted a smile, but she felt her composure dissolving with the tears welling up in her eyes.

"I know how hard this is. I remember," he said, trying to console her before the dam broke.

"You were a doctor?" she sniffed.

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, I was a lawyer. A long time ago, anyways. But I remember that sometimes, not everyone gets the justice they deserve."

She wiped at her eyes quickly, trying to restrain her emotion. "I suppose. It's so hard, even knowing Miss Nomura . . ."

"You know her?" he asked quickly. "An old friend?"

She shook her head. "We met on a case a few months ago. I doubt she actually remembers me, but I watched the trial, so I definitely recognize her."

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Tessa." She put her hand out, and he shook it quickly. "It was back when I was an ME, so I really doubt she would remember me."

"I'm Phoenix."

He smiled, and she looked at her watch. "I've got to continue my rounds. You should go in and talk to her. They say that people in comas can hear what we say. Maybe she can hear you."

"Thank you. You're a good nurse," he said. "I know it's not really my place, but . . ."

She nodded and smiled. "Thank you." She turned and walked down the hallway that she'd come from.

He got up to pick Trucy up and move out of the waiting room, but a movement in the hallway kept him from doing so. He caught a glance at Yoshiya Nomura's concerned face as he rushed into the room, and Phoenix despaired at the idea of explaining it all over again, let alone to an overprotective older brother who thought his baby sister was a force to be reckoned with. He closed the distance between them, trying to put on a smile. Tessa had put on a smile, hoping it would make it better; he could do the same.

* * *

**A/N: These chapters are hard to do, no joke. It might get better if I actually planned out the case with evidence instead of just solving it. But here's my Christmas present to you all~ Happy holidays! 楽しいクリスマスを! I sincerely hope your holidays have been excellent, and since I probably won't have an update ready by the New Year, have an excellent New Year! Let's go into 2012 with a bang!**

**Oh, and this is undoubtedly short for a chapter. D: Anyone remember Tessa from an earlier case though?**

**Comments ::**

**Zorua: I don't want to spoil the story for you before you read it! It's an author's communication of pain. I have to write it, and you have to wait to read it. :D**

**Blaze: I just seem to be doing a large amount of foreshadowing, ne? Here's to hoping the foreshadowing isn't leading to a letdown!**

**Psykit: Haha, I couldn't help it. We've got so much bonding to do! Oh, lovely! I'll send you a message as soon as I have another minute (I think it's time for sleep now; I'm exhausted), and we'll talk about anything you need. :D Thank you, my dear!**

**Read and Review?**


	32. Turnabout Secrets: Investigation 1b

**Chapter Thirty-One :: Turnabout Secrets :: Day 1 :: Investigation :: Part 2**

Edgeworth

_Former: Where had the cup of coffee come from? And what about tracing the poison? When had it been put in? There were a lot of questions still left to answer, and the only place he had that he could gain these answers quickly from was the security cameras._

_He sprinted up to the security office, privately praising the courthouse for installing new ones recently._

Miles Edgeworth found himself looking at the security video fifteen minutes later, trying to identify everyone in the lobby from the paused tape. Himself and Kiria were obvious; it was the height difference that gave them away. Others, however, were harder to pinpoint. His brain seemed hazy as he tried to remember the people in the lobby earlier. It had been an early trial, so there hadn't been many people. He hadn't paid much attention to anyone other than the witness and the Defense Attorney. He finally recognized Elias Whitman when he came over with the poisoned cup of coffee. The man wore a black sweater and khaki slacks, he noted, then followed his movements as he rewound the tape.

Whitman had stood in the corner of the lobby for a while, having arrived exceptionally early to be a witness. He watched the rest of the lobby, his head barely moving as he looked around. It was an awkward angle, where the camera watched him, and Edgeworth wished he could have seen the path of Whitman's eyes. What had he been watching? Then, as if he'd suddenly noticed it, he walked over to the small courthouse cafe and purchased two coffees. He walked over to the small condiment stand, but his back was to the camera, so Edgeworth couldn't tell what he put in the cup. It seemed he was only administering things to one cup though, the other sat to the side, still black and untouched.

Well, that solved where the coffee had come from. He made sure to note that before realizing that the poison could not have been put in the cup before it was bought. Ergo, he thought as he watched Elias Whitman approach them, the poison had to have been put in the coffee there, at the condiment stand.

But why? And where had the poison come in?

There was a bigger question that was nagging at him. Whitman had left himself open. All of this was easy to trace; it hadn't taken him long to piece it together. Why? If you were taking the risk of being accused of attempted murder, wouldn't you hide it? The only thing that had been hidden was the actual administration of the poison in the cup. But that wasn't reasonable doubt.

What was he playing at?

Edgeworth continued to watch through the tape, keeping an eye on Whitman, who sipped away at his coffee in the same corner he'd been in before. The man didn't move until the trial started and he walked into the courtroom. He watched as Kiria, Maya, and her client, Hermia Laytonne, straggled in behind everyone else. The effects of the poison must have already been kicking in; he'd seen her walk in those sky high stilettos many times, but this time, she swayed slightly, as if she were uncertain with her balance. He cringed as she teetered dangerously, having to hold onto the door frame for support. The lobby was now empty, and there was nothing more to be noticed.

Until she ran back out to dispose of the coffee cup in the trash can.

He got up, wondering if Forensics had found the evidence yet.

* * *

Maya & Nathan

_Former: "I think we should go see Hermia Laytonne and see what was actually going on in this trial."_

They walked to the Detention Center, Nathan touching the bag of profiles and case files they'd taken from the evidence room every once in a while to make sure they were still there. He felt justified in his paranoia, although he hated himself for the glances he kept stealing over his shoulder. He had the feeling that if he didn't watch out, he would be next, ghosting her movements like he was. He felt like he knew where this ended, and he didn't want to be sitting where she was right now.

Poor Hermia Laytonne had been the second victim of the mistrial. Since the declaration, she'd been forced to stay in detainment until the retrial rolled around again, and because there was a trial around the previous mistrial, it would be weeks before she had a chance at freedom again. He stared at her as she settled herself on the other side of the glass, studying her features carefully.

She was certainly pretty, but in a more understated way. She hid behind a thicket of black curls, her pretty chocolate eyes dull from the lack of sleep. She could have been stunning with a little color in her face, but her skin looked almost translucent. Dark circles lined her eyes, and her nails, he noticed as she swept some hair from her face, were short as if she'd chewed them down. Her eyes stared through them, crimson lips pressed together almost stubbornly. They sat in silence for a minute, and she seemed completely comfortable in the silence.

Maya was not.

"Um . . . should we start?" she asked Nathan after a minute.

He nodded, leaning forward to rest his arms on the counter in front of them. "Miss Laytonne?" he said quietly, afraid that if he talked too loud, he'd startle her and she'd shatter into a million pieces.

She didn't answer.

"Um," he tried again, "we're friends of your attorney, Miss Nomura. Will you talk to us?"

The name caught her attention. "Miss Nomura?" she parroted.

"Yes. We're trying to look into what happened to her. Do you know?"

Hermia looked down. "They all died."

"Huh? Who all died?" Maya asked.

"Them. They all died. All of them. Everyone I cared about. They all perished. Miss Nomura included." Hermia didn't seem to be talking to them anymore, staring through them again like they didn't exist. "They'll all die, because that's how it happens."

"How what happens?" Nathan pressed, now alarmed.

"I can't say. They'll kill you if I tell you."

Nathan and Maya exchanged alarmed glances. "Who's 'they'?" Nathan finally asked, not sure if he wanted to know.

"I can't tell you that either. Everyone that knows dies. It's a curse!" She was getting more and more jumpy by the second, glancing around and tapping her fingers on the desk in front of her.

He got to his feet, pulling Maya out of the room. "Hey, what was that for?" she demanded.

"Did this seem like an overly dangerous case to you when you were on the Defense? Because the way she's talking, I'm getting really worried that Kiria got into something she shouldn't have, and that's why she's in that hospital bed right now."

Maya pursed her lips, crossing her arms over her chest as she thought. "No, not really. I mean, I didn't do a lot in the investigation stage, so I don't really know all that much other than what happened in the trials, but I certainly don't remember it being so dangerous. I don't remember Hermia being quite like this either. I mean, I didn't talk to her all that much, but she seemed to be pretty normal earlier today."

"Maybe she's freaked out about what happened to Kiria? She seems pretty convinced that everyone who knows what happened will die." Nathan pressed his hands together as he tried to piece it all together. "I wonder who else she's talking about?"

Maya shrugged in response, skipping back into the room. "Hey Hermia, do you remember me? I'm Maya Fey; I helped out with the Defense?"

Hermia looked at Maya deeply, and then slowly nodded.

"Who were you talking about earlier? Who knew that died?"

Hermia looked around the room before leaning forward. "Angela and Lysander both died. And now Miss Nomura. It's dangerous knowledge, and they won't stop until everyone who knows is gone."

"Wait, Angela, as in your sister? And Lysander Triton?" Nathan asked.

Hermia nodded.

"But that's impossible!" Maya said. "We just saw Lysander testify yesterday!"

Nathan felt cold wash over him as he realized the implications of what he'd just heard. He flipped open his cell phone, dialing the police precinct. "This is Nathaniel Price, Public Prosecutor. I'd like to request a check on a witness; Lysander Triton from the Laytonne vs. State case." He paused, nodding. "Thank you." It took him another minute to hang up. "I'm getting the police to check on him, just to make sure he hasn't perished like our friend here says he has." There was a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach as he thought about what they were likely to find.

"What happens if he turns up dead?" Maya asked worriedly. "Does that mean we're all in trouble now?"

Nathan shrugged. "I don't know." He wanted to believe in their safety, but Hermia Laytonne and Kiria Nomura were making that extremely hard to believe.

His phone rang, and he almost didn't answer it. He could guess what the news was, from the expression on Hermia's face. _"Mr. Price? There's been a security breach; Lysander Triton was found dead in his home."_

"Thank you." He hung up, not wanting to answer any more questions, but felt chilled to the bone as he realized that the same person who had killed Lysander and Angela had probably conspired to kill Kiria as well. "Lysander's dead. The only ones from the trial still alive now are Hermia and the witness, Elias Whitman."

Maya frowned. "I don't like how this is turning out."

"This is certainly proving to be a dangerous case," Nathan mused. After a minute, he turned to Hermia. "Can you tell me what Miss Nomura found out?" he pressed. "Anything at all?"

Hermia shook her head. "Information is fatal, Mr. Price," was all she said before getting up and leaving the room abruptly.

He'd never felt so cold.

* * *

Franziska

It took Lang almost an hour and a half to arrive. By that time, Miles Edgeworth had already told forensics which trash can to look in and the evidence was bagged and tagged. She sat at the desk in the testing labs waiting for him to arrive, her foot tapping impatiently.

"Sorry, sis," he finally said when he arrived, sounding out of breath. "Traffic jam. You wouldn't believe the rudeness of drivers here." He looked back to his league of a hundred men, selecting out two of the best to do the evidence testing. "I need this done three days ago, men, so work fast and efficiently. Lives are on the line here!" he declared, watching over the two of them as they hunkered down over the evidence.

"Yes Shifu!" they chorused back.

"Now, the rest of you! I want you looking through anything the Forensic team might have missed! Don't fail me!"

"Yes Shifu!" was the response, and the other ninety-eight men filtered out of the room, leaving the two testers, Franziska, and Lang in the testing room.

"How long will this take?" Franziska snapped impatiently. She'd been waiting for long enough by now! They were running out of time.

Lang shuffled over to the wall, leaning against it. "Half of an hour, at the most. Relax, sis. These men are the best there is."

Franziska suppressed the urge to snort and sat on the nearby chair. "I want results, Lang. And I want them fast. Fifteen minutes."

He laughed. "Patience is a virtue."

"As is vigilance, but that didn't happen either."

Lang looked at her from the corner of his eye. "You're worried about Nomura." It wasn't a question, and he wasn't looking for a response.

She nodded. "It's not often a lawyer is targeted, and when they are, it is hardly fatal. Kiria Nomura is an excellent attorney, and one of the brightest in the city, if not the country."

He cocked an eyebrow. "I don't think I've ever heard you speak so highly of someone."

"Oh, I'd never say it to her face." She waved a hand to dismiss that thought. "There are a lot of things I'd never say. That doesn't mean I'm incapable of thinking them. But when someone is facing death? They deserve the truth."

There was something in her eyes that piqued his curiosity. "A previous trial?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Sort of. It's more that I've seen people die without the truth being revealed. That didn't bother me when I was younger." She brushed some hair out of her eyes, trying to retain some sort of composure. Something about this trial had her shaken up and vulnerable, and she didn't like it. Lang was pushing all of the wrong buttons. She inhaled deeply and reset her features. "With age comes maturity, and with maturity, wisdom." There was a finality in her tone that ended the conversation right where it was.

"You sounded like a spitfire when you were younger," he mentioned, trying to avoid the silence.

She couldn't keep the smile off her face and clasped her whip in both hands. "Merely ambitious."

Silence fell between them as they watched the men work. Finally, one of them ran out with a piece of paper. "Shifu!" he saluted.

Lang waved his hand to continue.

"The poison analysis is done. 500 milligrams of Rydientrol was found in the styrofoam cup. It's a fatal dose, sir. It depends on her height and weight, but a normal-sized woman would be dead with 300 milligrams."

Lang and Franziska both shook their heads. Kiria Nomura was much smaller than normal-sized. "Can you trace where the poison came from?" Lang asked.

The man shook his head. "I can, but it will take about two days with the equipment we have in the lab."

"And the rest of the evidence?"

"We're not done testing it yet."

Franziska had her phone out. "I need to meet up with everyone else. They need to know this, just as I need to know the details they've found. I'll be back soon." She sent out a mass text message and started walking toward the street, preparing to wave down a taxi.

* * *

Reunited

Despite having been the one who had called the meeting, Franziska was the last to arrive. Everyone else was already waiting in the hospital room. Yoshiya and Mariko Nomura had arrived, and although she had never met the older sister, the similarities in their features were so profound that it was useless to try to deny it. Mariko had the same high cheekbones, the same delicate eyes, the same thin mouth. She sat at her sister's bedside, cradling her hand and stroking her forehead gently. She didn't bother to look up as Franziska's clicking heels signified a visitor.

Yoshiya, however, did look up. He looked as if he'd aged a whole year since the last time she'd seen him. His hair was unruly, gaze edgy and unfaltering as he watched her walk in.

"Any news?" she asked, trying not to seem too concerned.

Phoenix looked up at her, as if he were noticing her for the first time. "She's progressed into a coma. The doctor came in here about twenty minutes ago and said that it doesn't look good." His face was pale, and he had a firm arm around Trucy, as if he were afraid she would slip away like the junior lawyer was about to. "She's not likely to make it to the night, let alone through it."

The feeling of gloom and death hung around the room like cobwebs on Halloween. No one looked at each other, all eyes on the floor, except for Yoshiya's and Mariko's. They both looked at their younger sister with eyes begging for some sort of intervention to take place. Mariko squeezed her sister's hand. Kiria didn't respond.

Franziska took the empty chair next to Edgeworth and frowned. "There is no point in mourning before she's dead. Let us start organizing this trial." She was being kind, in her opinion. If it had been her choice, she would have been whipping them all for their sad gazes and tears. The dead deserved to be mourned over, not the living, and as long as Kiria Nomura was still living, there would be no tears coming from her.

It was fortunate that everyone in the room was accustomed to death. They all changed gears immediately, switching their faces and demeanors to more professional ones. Franziska was right; it was time to work.

Edgeworth nodded, holding out the copy of the surveillance tape he'd obtained. "This tape watched over the lobby the whole time. Elias Whitman bought the poisoned coffee, took it over to the condiment bar, and added the poison in it. Unfortunately, I can't prove it; he has his back to the camera while he adds it. It's the only place that the coffee could have been poisoned before it got to her, though. It's beyond reasonable doubt."

"Isn't that a little strange?" Phoenix asked, stretching out his legs. "I mean, that's decisive evidence. How does Whitman think he's going to get off of the charge?"

"Maybe he's not going to fight the charge," Nathan suggested.

Franziska stared at him. "Foolishly foolish fool. Honestly, what man would not fight the charge? It's the death sentence that he's facing, for attempted murder in the first degree!"

"It does seem a little strange, if that's the case as well," Edgeworth admitted. "There's no alternative that I know of that makes sense. He can't claim that it was administered before the coffee; she didn't eat or drink anything. But if he admits guilt, he might as well kill himself now. None of this makes any sense."

"Maybe he thought the camera wasn't recording?" Maya suggested.

They all shrugged. Either way, Elias Whitman didn't have a chance to get around the charges, and that was how they liked it.

"According to the toxicology report, there was about 500 milligrams of Rydientrol in that coffee cup, which was more than enough to kill her," Franziska said, taking up the charge now. "It was obviously meant to be a fatal dosage; it only takes about 300 milligrams to kill an average-sized woman."

The thought made them all shudder.

"I just don't understand _why_. Why go through all of this trouble to kill the Defense Attorney in a small case?" Edgeworth said, starting to get frustrated. "This certainly wasn't high-profile, and it wasn't like it was a strange case. No one had anything to gain from this case that I know of either. This just seems like . . . overkill."

Nathan cleared his throat. "Not according to Hermia Laytonne, the defendant in the case."

Maya nodded. "She's starting to go off the deep end, and she's super paranoid that if she tells us anything, we're all going to end up dead."

Edgeworth's eyebrows were furrowed as he tried to recall the defendant in the case. She'd been a demure woman, tall but pale, with a haunted look in her eyes. He'd chalked that look up to the death of her sister, Angela. "What do you mean?"

"She told us that everyone that knew about some secret in the case was going to end up dead. It seems she wasn't kidding, either." Nathan pressed his lips together, remembering the chill that had swept over him when he'd heard the news the first time. "Lysander Triton, one of the witnesses, turned up dead in his home earlier. She was able to tell us that he was dead already."

"Lysander Triton is dead?" That blew a giant hole in the case, and if Nathan was right about the secret, then he must have known something he wasn't supposed to find out as well. "And she thinks Nomura found out whatever Triton knew?"

Nathan nodded. "She seemed pretty adamant about it. She's also pretty adamant that Kiria's going to die. I think it might be paranoia that everyone else has died already, but still."

"How did she know that the witness was dead?" Franziska asked. "She's been detained, correct?"

"In the Detention Center the whole time," Maya confirmed. "She hasn't been let out since she was arrested three days ago."

"Then how?"

Nathan shook his head. "I don't know. I don't know whether it was just a lucky guess or she actually knew. Whatever it is, she's freaked out about it, and I'm starting to think we should be too."

"Nonsense!" Franziska snapped. "Panic will not solve anything."

Edgeworth leaned back in his seat, mulling over the case. It had seemed pretty open-and-shut. Well, until today, anyways. She'd come in excited about something, and now she was in the hospital bed. "I think Laytonne was right in thinking that Nomura knew something."

"Why do you say that?" Maya asked.

"She seemed confident in a victory this morning, but the events leading up to the trial today had been anything _but_ good for her client. She had to have realized something that would turn the whole case on its head."

"And that's why Elias Whitman had to kill her?" Phoenix asked.

Edgeworth nodded. "The only question is, what was it?"

Nathan glanced over at his comatose friend, getting up and going to her other side so that he could pick up the hand that Mariko wasn't holding. "Come on. I need something about this case. Anything. _What did you know_?" he asked, hoping to see some change, any indication that she'd heard him.

Her face was blank, body still relaxed. After a minute of nothing, he sighed and sat down, shoulders sagging. "Nothing."

"I think if she had the ability to tell us what had happened, she'd have done it long ago," Yoshiya said, his voice husky from staying silent for so long. "My sister has never been one for keeping secrets if it compromised revenge."

They all nodded sadly.

"Who's going to be the prosecutor for the case?" Phoenix asked, trying to organize everything before visitor hours were over. The sun was beginning to drop below the horizon on the late summer night, and while he wished they had more time, there was only so much time they could take before the paperwork had to be in.

"It would be up to Kiria to decide. But since she's not able to make the decision . . ." Nathan's voice trailed off, looking at Mariko and Yoshiya. "We can't decide among ourselves. You pick the attorney you trust."

Mariko looked shocked, but Yoshiya nodded and consulted with his older sister in Japanese. After a long minute of conversation, she shrugged her shoulders and he smiled. "Nathan, I want you to do it. You've known her long enough to be able to guess her moves, and you want him in jail just as bad as we do."

"Are you sure?" he asked uncertainly. "I'm not as experienced as Mr. Edgeworth or Miss Von Karma."

He nodded. "I'm sure. _I_ know you, and while I'm sure they're excellent attorneys, I know you'll do it well."

There was no room for argument. The client had spoken, and so Nathan was going to be the main Prosecutor on the case. He turned to his mentor, a plea written across his face. "You know the Laytonne case and I don't. I need a co-council for this, and I need someone with information. Will you—"

But he didn't even need to ask. "Of course," Edgeworth responded.

"Then it's settled." He'd expected Franziska to be angry, but instead she seemed resigned to her fate. "I'll help Lang out with the forensic testing. It looks like he could use a few more hands."

"Agent Lang?" Nathan asked, surprised.

"A perfect case requires perfect evidence." She sauntered out, not waiting for a reply.

Nathan looked down at his mentor, his eyes then sweeping around the room to rest on his comatose friend. "I'll get him for you. I promise," he vowed, taking the hand he had once more. "He won't even know what hit him."

* * *

**A/N: Yay, normal length chapter! I'd forgotten what it was like to write them! I decided that because the New Year was coming in, we might as well start it with a bang. 明けましておめでとうございます! A huuuuuge thank you to all of my readers; I adore all of your comments, and hope you all have an excellent 2012!**

**Comments:**

**Blaze: Yeah, Tessa's a good one to keep an eye on, but she'll also be around for the rest of the story (originally she wasn't going to be, but I like her too much to stop!), so keep an eye on her the whole time, ne? And you're so welcome; I hope you had an excellent Christmas!**

**Psykit: This chapter probably didn't make you feel any better about the coma-Kiria either, did it? Oh, believe me, there are a lot of unanswered questions, and a lot more to come as well. After all, I have to string you all around for 6 more volumes, right? **

**Singstar101: Haha, I wondered whether anyone caught that. You're awesome; I'm such a Professor Layton nerd, it's not even funny. It actually will be, but it won't come around until the next volume. You'll figure out why soon; there's just not enough room in there! I agree, and I adore really good OC fics. They're hard to come by nowadays, though. D: Thank you so much; I hope you keep reading!**

**Zorua: I did know that! I adored both volumes of it that I've read (I read them when they came out in Japan, and have lost count since then, so there may be more). **

**Read and Review! c:**


	33. Turnabout Secrets: Trial 1

**Chapter Thirty-Two :: Turnabout Secrets :: Trial :: Day 1**

Nathan had gone home late in the night, knowing that he would need sleep for the next day. Edgeworth claimed the same need, although his was less for the need for sleep—which he'd gone without a time or two—but to get away from the hospital. It was sapping his energy and the case demanded that he have all of the energy he possessed focused on it. Despite their excuses, however, they both arrived at the courthouse the next day exhausted. They also both arrived with their own drinks, Nathan's styrofoam cup of coffee, and Edgeworth's tea in a thermos. Waiting for them to arrive, though, was one person he doubted would ever leave the hospital.

"Yoshiya," Nathan greeted in confusion. "Are you . . . is she . . . ?" He almost didn't want the answer to that.

Yoshiya shook his head. "She lived through the night, miraculously. It sounds like she's holding on by a thread, but she's holding onto that thread with everything she's got."

Nathan nodded. "Does that make her chances any better? That nurse told us her chances went up if she lived through the night."

"I don't know. She doesn't look any better." His eyes were averted, looking down at the floor. It was painful, seeing her like this, and Nathan and Edgeworth both sympathized with him. "It sounds like we're just waiting around for her to die," he finally said quietly, swallowing immediately afterwards, as if he wanted to swallow the words he had just spoken.

There was nothing they could say in response. It was hard to hear, harder to say, and almost impossible to believe. How had the small, intelligent girl who had smiled so brightly just the day before been snuffed out so that her flame only flickered lightly on the walls, dying out as soon as a breeze swept by it?

They were saved from a response by a tired-looking Phoenix coming up, accompanied by a worn-out Maya. "Ready for the trial?" he asked, sweeping his arm around his girlfriend and looking at Nathan expectantly.

"I'm ready. He's going to pay for what he's done." Nathan's eyes were as hard as diamond as he spoke, refusing to back down.

"What are you doing here?" Edgeworth asked.

Maya shrugged. "She'd never forgive us if she ever found out we weren't at the trial. Besides, we're not being productive at the hospital. Maybe we can see something that you don't during this trial." Her voice was quiet, sparkle absent from her eyes.

He nodded curtly, knowing that it would be best to have more eyes. He had a sneaking suspicion that there would be some curveball out from left field they weren't expecting, especially with the evidence lining up as neatly as it was. The Defense would have some sort of . . . well, defense, right?

The Defendant made his way into the courthouse lobby, and Edgeworth's eyes narrowed on the woman beside him. This was the Defense Attorney, and a woman Edgeworth had met in court several times. Arielle Holcomb was the owner of Holcomb and Co. Law Offices, a business that was so obviously running out of money that Holcomb had taken on any case that had come her way in the last year. This was no difference. He could see the harried look in her eyes, the desperation she had running through her veins. If this didn't flesh out, she was going under.

"Holcomb. Of course." The words came out as a hiss from Phoenix's mouth. Obviously, there was no love lost between the former attorney and the soon-to-be-former attorney.

"It doesn't matter," he said, trying to soothe the man's ruffled feathers.

Nathan shook his head. "No, it _doesn't_ matter. After all, she'll lose this trial." He was glaring at Elias Whitman, a silent pledge forming on his lips. He took another chug of his coffee, emptying the cup and, making sure to keep his eyes locked on Whitman's, dropped it in the same waste basket as Kiria had dropped hers the day before.

Whitman shivered.

Having aroused a response in the Defendant, Nathan wiped a hand over his mouth. "Let's go. Time for battle. Time to kick that bastard back where he came from."

* * *

From his position on the Prosecutor's Bench, Nathan could look around and recognize around 95% of the audience. Franziska and Lang were seated next to Phoenix and Maya, conversing quietly before the trial started. Marvin Grossberg, hovering on the age of retirement, sat two seats away from them, eyes serious for once. Even Winston Payne was in attendance, despite the fact that Kiria had frequently proclaimed him as the bane of her existence. Beside him (and looking like she wished she wasn't) was the illustrious Catherine Eldredge, a Prosecutor not much older than himself.

There were also some witnesses that he'd seen, including Sine Hawkins and Lea Chaudery. Natalya was also there, albeit hid behind a small hat and veil. He thought the man beside her might have been Christopher Hamarch, but there was color in the man's face now, and even a small smile, so he couldn't be sure.

Arielle stood across the way, filling the Defense Bench with a glare centered at him. She was a buxom woman, beautiful to be sure, but curvy and alluring. Had he not been on the opposite side, he might have flirted with her in hopes to get her into bed that night. She was the enemy today, however, so he refused to think about her in that way.

"The trial of Whitman v. State of California is now in session." The Judge was succinct, a different judge than normal. He was a no-nonsense one, similar to the judge they'd met in Washington DC. "Will the Prosecution please give a summary of the charges?"

"Certainly, your Honor. Yesterday, at 10:49 A.M., Kiria Nomura, a local Defense Attorney, collapsed during the Laytonne v. State of California case. The Forensic testing revealed that she was poisoned with Rydientrol, a dangerous poison. I'd like to submit the Toxicology report as evidence." He slid the paper across the desk for the bailiff to carry to the Judge. "The poison was found in the coffee cup she drank out of before the trial. Surveillance cameras reveal that the witness in that trial, Elias Whitman, was the one to give her the coffee, and that it had been the only thing she had consumed in the allotted time. Here is the security video to be submitted as evidence."

"Thank you, Mr. Price. And your opening statement?"

Nathan shrugged. "I should think it would be obvious by now. Elias Whitman gave Miss Nomura the only thing that could have poisoned her. The security video shows Mr. Whitman buying the poisoned coffee, doctoring it up at the condiment stand, and then giving it to Miss Nomura!"

"Objection!" Arielle declared. "I didn't see Mr. Whitman administering the poison at the condiment stand!"

Nathan and Edgeworth both flinched. That was the weak point in the case. "There is nowhere else that she could have got it from! It is a moot point whether the poison can be seen being administered if it is the only place it can be traced to is that coffee cup!" Edgeworth said.

There was a slow smile inching across Arielle's face, and he could already tell whatever was going to come out of her mouth was bad news for them. "But the problem is that the coffee cup is not the only place it could be traced to. In fact, Miss Nomura has quite a history with Rydientrol, or more, Rydeine." Nathan stiffened at the word, and Edgeworth knew right then that whatever Rydeine was, it was _not_ good for their case.

"Rydeine has nothing to do with this case," Nathan snapped, his voice almost violent.

"_Au contraire_, Mr. Price. You see, Rydientrol—the poison Kiria Nomura was exposed to—comes from the same chemical as Rydeine." Arielle was smiling in a superior fashion, and he'd never wanted to do anything more than he wanted to knock it right off her face.

"What is Rydeine?" the Judge asked, obviously a step behind.

Arielle crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back. "Rydeine is a highly addictive pain medication in the same chemical family as morphine and codeine. It is often prescribed to dancers who suffer traumatic injuries. Namely, one Kiria Nomura."

"What are you talking about?" Edgeworth couldn't help but spit out. This seemed like slander! Beside him, Nathan swallowed thickly.

"Five years ago, Kiria Nomura was a dancer in the University of Southern California's Dance program. She was one of the best. That is, until she fell off of a stage during a performance and sustained a minor spine injury. It might not have paralyzed her, but it did take her out of commission for a few weeks. She was put on Rydeine for her pain. Fourteen weeks after the diagnosis and prescription, she was hospitalized for overdosing."

"That's not how it happened!" Nathan protested, but it was weak. "Besides, that was years ago! What does that have to do with this case?" he demanded, trying to catch his stride.

Arielle's mouth curved into a lazy smile. "We got a search warrant for her home. Guess what we found?"

He knew he didn't want to know.

She held up a small, white-capped orange bottle between slender fingers, shaking it gently. "A prescription bottle for Rydeine. Empty, of course. But then again, had there been something inside of it, Miss Nomura might not have been tempted to drink the poison, would she?"

"What are you _talking_ about?" Edgeworth demanded, not willing to listen to this woman spout out any more slander. He was almost positive Kiria Nomura had done none of the aforementioned things, and obviously this woman was going to any length to place the blame on her. Arielle Holcomb was one of those attorneys he couldn't stand.

"This is ridiculous," Nathan said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Whether or not you believe it is ridiculous is irrelevant, Mr. Price. Miss Nomura, like so many recovering drug addicts, ran out of the substance she relied on, and so had to find more. Desperate for more, she turned to the poison Rydientrol in order to satiate the craving for the drug she was so used to taking—"

"—This is absolutely ridiculous!" Nathan shouted, cutting her off. "Talk about blaming the victim! This man gives her poisoned coffee, and yet here we are, talking about an addiction that was done five years ago!" He could feel Edgeworth's hand on his shoulder, trying to force him down in his seat so that he'd calm down, but he didn't want to. He fought it, raising his voice even louder. "This whole trial is a farce! You want to talk five years ago? We'll talk five years ago! But you'd better be able to prove your claim!" He slammed a frustrated hand down on the desk, glaring at her with a hatred Edgeworth had never seen before.

The courtroom was buzzing with quiet chatter, and the Judge tapped his gavel on the bench. "Order!" When it dissipated, he looked between the two attorneys. "Miss Holcomb, I'd like evidence to prove your claim. Mr. Price, shouting in this courtroom will not be allowed, and if you do it again, I will hold you in Contempt of Court. Can we discuss this case like adults?" When neither attorney responded, he nodded. "Now, I'll admit that I'm a bit confused about why we don't have Miss Nomura testifying about this."

Nathan cleared his throat. "Kiria Nomura has been comatose in the ICU for the last twenty-four hours. She'd testify if she could, I'm sure, but as it stands, she is unable to."

The Judge nodded. "I see. I suppose we should go with what we have for now, then. Miss Holcomb, would you mind explaining to the court your version of the events again? I found it a bit confusing to follow."

"Of course, your Honor." She'd lost her superior tone, and had averted her gaze to Edgeworth rather than Nathan. "The Defense alleges that Kiria Nomura, desperate for a drug she had become dependent on, drank the poison before the trial in the belief that it would give her the same relief the Rydeine allowed."

Nathan couldn't help his head from shaking again. "It's a ridiculous theory." He turned to Edgeworth. "Did you see any point that she could have drank the poison?" he asked, referring to the video.

Edgeworth could have cringed. "I wasn't watching her. I knew what happened to her; I was watching Whitman."

"Do you remember any point that she could have?" he pressed.

Edgeworth thought back, trying to rack his brain for the events of the morning. "I wasn't with her most of the time after she received the coffee. She was with her client and Maya. I'm afraid I can't be an accurate witness to that effect."

"But while she was with you?"

"No. We were in a conversation; my eyes rarely left her."

Nathan growled, determined to figure out what had actually happened. "When was the prescription on the bottle made?" he asked, in order to distract Holcomb for a few minutes so he could gather his thoughts for an attack.

"Five years ago. That doesn't prove anything," she reminded him, the smirk back on her face. "She could have refilled the bottle with the new pills she was receiving."

"And you don't know she was still taking the pills," he reminded her in turn. "You're making a giant assumption, Miss Holcomb."

She rolled her eyes. "Like you don't see vodka next to an alcoholic and make the logical conclusion."

"The so-called 'logical conclusion' that you refer to does not hold water in a court of law." He could have killed her at this very moment, he was so furious. "Let's be honest; you're sitting there, bullshitting it."

"Mr. Price," the Judge warned as Arielle made an insulted shriek.

"How dare you? Where is your proof she wasn't taking the medication?" she challenged.

Edgeworth sat back in his chair with a sigh. "This is becoming childish," he muttered under his breath, a silent cue for Nathan to start making a point before the Judge cut them off completely.

"As the Defense, you are charged with finding evidence to counteract the Prosecution's claims," Nathan said calmly. "As far as I can tell, you have thrown out no proof, only bringing up an alleged drug addiction that is five years old and pushing the blame back onto the victim. The Prosecution requests that the verdict be given."

"The Defense objects. This drug addiction is not alleged!" Arielle pushed a piece of paper across her desk. "Here is the Incident Report from the University of Southern California. Five years ago, Kiria Nomura faced a drug charge in the court. The matter was settled by the Dance Program before she could be brought to justice, and Kiria Nomura was exonerated of all charges."

"Isn't that proof in the wrong direction?" Nathan asked, but she shook her head.

"Not according to Miss Nomura." She held up another paper. "Here is her testimony, where she admits a dependency on the drug. Just because she was exonerated does not mean she is innocent, Mr. Price."

"That is slander," Edgeworth said, trying to keep his tone level.

She shrugged. "Fine, strike it from the record. The important part is that she admits it."

Nathan opened his mouth, but the doors of the courtroom were thrown open unceremoniously before he could. "Your Honor!" A man dressed in medical scrubs stood here, breathing hard. "Please, the Police force has requested a delay in the trial! Miss Nomura has . . . well, sir, she's—"

Nathan felt both cold and hot at the same time. Here was the news he hadn't wanted to hear. He prepared himself, taking a deep breath as the Judge snapped, "Get on with it!"

"Well sir, she's recovered! I've never seen anything like it! It's like . . ." he paused, searching for the words again. "It's like she was brought back from the brink of death, sir!"

Nathan and Edgeworth exchanged shocked glances. Yoshiya was already making his way across the courtroom, followed by Maya, Phoenix, Franziska, and Lang. "Your Honor, the Prosecution requests the trial be delayed," Nathan was trying to spit out as quickly as possible.

"Under the circumstances, I believe that is appropriate. The trial shall resume tomorrow. I expect proof and witnesses from both of you. Court is adjourned."

* * *

She looked so much better than the last time they'd seen her. Most of her color was back, a small flush even anointing her cheeks daintily as she chattered eagerly with Trucy. Mariko sat next to her on the bed, playing with her hair and murmuring something in her ear. Her head suddenly jerked to the door, and a giant grin lit her face as she saw them. The spark was back in her eyes, and while her hair was tousled and she was still wearing the hospital gown, there was still an effortless beauty there in her features.

"Kiria!" Yoshiya rushed to his little sister, throwing his arms around her briefly before starting to interrogate her with relentless questions in Japanese. The inquisition made both her and Mariko roll their eyes as she answered detachedly.

Nathan was next in the door, and he took one of the chairs at the end of her bed, intending to wait until Yoshiya was done. About ten questions in, however, and he got impatient. "How are you feeling?" he asked as soon as there was a break in the conversation.

A smile touched her features again as she switched conversations. "Fine. I mean, I'm a little hungry and I feel tired, but other than that, I feel . . . normal."

"_Nani wo shita ka?_" Yoshiya demanded, this time turning to Mariko, but she just shrugged.

"_Shiranai._"

"What happened?" Maya asked. "All we were hearing was that it didn't look good, and then all of a sudden, we get the trial suspended because you somehow recovered." She perched on the side of the bed Mariko wasn't sitting on, dark eyes waiting for an explanation.

She looked between all of them. "Can we have one conversation? Hearing things in stereo is kind of distracting," she complained.

"_Gomen._"

She rolled her eyes at her brother before turning back to Maya. "I don't . . . really know. Everyone keeps asking that. The doctors say I'm not exhibiting normal behavior for a newly-awakened comatose patient. I think everyone's at a loss."

"It was strange, watching you." Mariko's words had a firmer Japanese lilt than her younger siblings', and she seemed to be more uncomfortable when everyone's attention was centered on her. "One minute, you were as pale as death, and then the next minute, it was like you just came back to life. Color just rushed back into your face, and then before I knew it, you were up and acting like nothing had happened."

"Weird . . ." Maya said, a slightly disturbed expression on her face.

Edgeworth placed a light hand on Kiria's shoulder, a small smile on his face. "We're all glad to see you well again, regardless of how it happened."

She flushed, looking down at her hands before smiling back up at him. "Thank you."

"Unfortunately, that being said, we've got a problem. Why'd you confess?" Nathan asked, leaning forward in the chair.

"Confess?"

He sighed. "Five years ago at USC. You confessed to overdosing on Rydeine. Why?"

She hissed, her eyes narrowing. "Why are we talking about this?" She looked around at the people in the room. "Why are we talking about this _now_?"

"Because Arielle Holcomb alleged that you drank the poison of your own accord. I need to know right now. Are you still taking it?" His tone was calm, but there was the small line between his eyebrows that appeared only when he was being serious. "Are you still taking Rydeine?"

* * *

**A/N: CLIFFHANGERRRRRRRR! Haha, I feel like I did this chapter badly, but it's such a crucial chapter that it became hard to write. I promise, things will be ironed out before the end of the trial. How'd everyone like the secrets? :D This is actually one of the trials that was in my head long before this story actually became a story.**

**Thank you to all of my new readers. c: I LOVE YOU ALL.**

**Comments:**

**Singstar101: Thank you, my dear! I like being nerdy; all my video games are my frieeeeeends. D**

**Zorua: Really? Sounds like I have a few to catch up on. Haha, those games that you just can't beat, so you give up and tell yourself you're going to do more later? Yeah, I've played a few of those. I don't watch anime much; I've been trying to watch through Fairy Tail, but I can't seem to get past Episode 12. I think I'll go back to playing video games. xD**

**Blaze: AHA! Someone finally got it! Someone noticed the Professor Layton reference earlier, but I was sad that no one recognized their Shakespeare. D: But yes, Lysander and Hermia. No Helena and Demetrius; originally Angela Laytonne's name was going to be Helena, but I changed it for some reason I don't remember now. Thank you so much; I'm glad you liked the format! It probably won't stay; it's hard to write in. **

**Psykit: I love that series; Stormy's characters are just so deep! :D I've been lost in it a time or two. Haha, I almost threw in the curveball, but there'll be a bigger curveball later in the series, so I didn't want to use all of my ammo now. I agree with you on the disliking of the sectioning characters off; it's hard to write and I feel like it's disjointed. Unfortunately, I couldn't think of a better way. Not too much longer; it'll just be this trial, promise. Haha, and I'll message you back soon; I felt like this chapter was much overdue, so I finished it first.**

**Knightofdestiny: First of all, welcome to the story. c: I thought about using the 1st Person POV, but I eventually decided against it because of the frame and some of the things that are coming in future chapters. Also, the last three chapters wouldn't have worked well in Kiria's POV. Just saying. Secondly, thank you so much for your praise! You're much too kind! c:**

**I feel like I need a different format to do comments by now. D: Anyone got any suggestions?**

**Read and Review! :D**


	34. Turnabout Secrets: Investigation 2a

**Chapter Thirty-Three :: Turnabout Secrets :: Investigation :: Day 2 :: Part 1**

She stared at him for a long moment. Then she looked away, and back at him again. She looked like she was torn between being angry and ashamed. "She's really stringing out the dirty laundry, isn't she?" It was meant as a joke, but it came out weak, her voice cracking in the middle. Her eyes were averted again, all of the previous mirth gone.

Nathan didn't relent. "Kiria, tell me the truth. Rydeine. Yes or no?"

"No." The word was quiet. She stared down at her hands, lying in her lap. She couldn't meet his eyes. She couldn't meet any of their eyes. Not even Mariko's, the older sister that had always promised to beat up anyone that even looked at her strangely. She was diminished, a shadow in their eyes.

Nathan's hand came up to cover hers, standing so that he could lean over to look her in the eyes. She jerked back like she'd been burned. "I'm sorry," he said, just as quietly. "I'm sorry that this trial has come to this, but Holcomb is going to hammer me about it, and I don't know all of the answers. If I don't answer, the blame is going to fall to you."

She had the immediate reaction to tell Nathan to mind his own fucking business and let her deal with Holcomb, but she knew that wouldn't solve anything. The whole incident with the poisoned coffee was kind of hazy at best anyways. She couldn't remember anything with any degree of certainty. Besides, it wasn't like he was asking because he wanted her to deal with that ache she'd dealt with for so long before it had been buried with the rest of her mistakes. He was doing this out of necessity.

Unfortunately, that didn't make her feel any better about it.

"I know," she finally sighed, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly. "I know. What do you want to know?"

This wasn't a victory. Nathan could tell the difference. This was submission. As soon as he could get away with it, he was going to make sure Arielle Holcomb was hurting as much as his best friend was at this moment. "You are not taking Rydeine, right?"

"I just said I wasn't."

He gave a small smile, hoping to impart some optimism into her, but she didn't look up at him. He looked over at Edgeworth instead, signalling that he'd take care of the questioning, and the older man seemed more than happy to relieve the duty to him. "Why was the bottle in your house?"

"As a reminder."

"A reminder?" he echoed in disbelief.

"A reminder. There's always a pill in there. It's five years old; you can probably do some test to prove that."

Nathan's heart skipped a few beats. "Are you telling me there's always one in that bottle?"

"Yes." She looked up at him, her eyes showing rebellion. "And don't start lecturing me; I know what I'm do—"

"No, that's not what I'm having problems with," he cut her off suddenly. "Holcomb presented an empty pill bottle in the trial today."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "That's impossible. I mean, I haven't looked at it in a while, but—"

"When's the last time you checked it?" he pressed, ushering Maya to stand so he could take her place. He stared at her intently, waiting for her to answer. "This is important."

She closed her eyes, trying to conjure up the last time she'd glanced at it. "It was the Reiko Horiyama trial. I only look at it when I'm really stressed out."

"That was . . . months ago. That was in _April_."

She shrugged. "I don't look at it often."

"Well, that's good, I guess." That gave almost four months that it could have disappeared. That is, if it was relevant. He wasn't quite sure of that yet. He shook his head, thinking over the information.

The silence gave Phoenix a chance to clear his throat for attention. She hadn't forgotten that they were in the room; on the contrary, she was hyperaware of everything she said _because_ they were there. "I—I'd like to know the whole story."

"You didn't know?" Edgeworth asked, surprised. "I thought background checks were routine for hiring?"

He smiled sheepishly. "I meant to. But I felt it didn't matter by the time I started getting around to it." He turned back to Kiria. "It's not that I'm worried about anything. "I'd just like to hear what happened, and if we all know what happened, perhaps we can help."

Edgeworth nodded in agreement. "As the co-council, I need to know what happened."

Kiria sighed, but her hand came up to twist a strand of hair around one finger, which was a good sign. It was an idiosyncratic motion, something that she hadn't done since the conversation had started. "I guess I can tell it. After all, I'll have to tell it tomorrow, won't I?" She fixed Nathan with an unfaltering gaze. "I'm testifying tomorrow, aren't I?"

He nodded.

She took another deep breath, steeled her nerves, and started to tell the story.

* * *

_We were in our second year at the University of Southern California. Both Nate and I were in the Dance Program, which was already prestigious enough without our help. We'd been commissioned to do a special piece for one of the Departments as a ten year anniversary or something like that. Either way, we had a performance that night. It was a big one, and on top of that, we were doing the Showcase that night, so I was nervous. I didn't want to let anyone down._

_The first piece had been a complete success, and I was feeling great. But the second piece . . . that was what hit hard._

_I was situated next to Natalie Eichinger, who was my second in the Showcase. I suppose I should explain the Showcase: the top dancer from each of the years performed a special piece to end the night. I'd won it easily, but Natalie was my backup, in case I couldn't do it or something. Anyways, the stage was too narrow for the second dance we were performing—the special one for the Department—but we all figured that if we crowded to the edge, we could still accomplish it._

_It was during the second tempo change. I was at the corner of the stage when all of a sudden, I tripped over something. I don't think she meant to make me fall off of the stage, just trip and twist an ankle or something. Something small, so that she could perform instead of me. But I was already off-balance, because I'd stepped wrong, and her well-placed foot sent me falling over the side of the stage. I landed on my back. I was taken to the hospital. She was kicked out of the group._

_I was in the hospital for two weeks, and barely conscious for most of it. They had me on so many drugs that I don't remember most of it. They had to replace some of the vertebrae in my spine or something like that. Again, I told you; I don't remember most of it. Eventually, they sent me back home to recover with a bottle of pain medication. I did okay on it, for a while. I wasn't taking classes; I couldn't get around that well for the first few weeks. But then they took off the casts and the stitches, and gave me the go ahead for more strenuous activity. So I went back to dancing._

_Within the first week, I found out we had a new coach who had been from an opposing school and had been impressed with the last performance I'd given. He wanted to feature me in a piece, and it was such an honor that I couldn't say no. It would have been difficult even without the injury, but with the injury . . . it was almost impossible. I was putting in sixty hours in a week, clearly violating the limits the hospital had put me on. But I didn't want to let anyone down. So I kept pushing. The pain was incredible by that point, and time was starting to drift into nondescript sections. I was taking more and more of the medication, and lucky me, they'd given me Rydeine. It's so easy for dancers to get; it's like cocaine for us. I refilled the bottle without having to get a new prescription._

_But the pain just kept getting worse. It was excruciating. I'd gotten to the point that if I felt it too strong, I'd just take another pill and wait a few minutes for it to kick in before I started in again. But I knew there was something wrong too. I couldn't keep food down, not that I was eating much. I couldn't sleep, although I chalked that up to nerves and anxiety over the upcoming performance. I wasn't ready. Even with the drugs and the lost sleep and no eating, I couldn't do it. So I told myself I obviously hadn't done enough, so I doubled my efforts._

_It ended in an overdose. In the middle of a rehearsal, luckily. I probably would have died if I'd collapsed like that in my apartment. No one would have found me, not until it was too late. As soon as it became obvious what had happened, there was an investigation into the University. Twelve others were found abusing the drug. We were all put on trial, along with the coach. The University cut a deal for some of us. Eight of us were exonerated. The other four were held accountable._

_I dropped out of the Dance Program. Luckily, I'd been a double major in English, so I got my degree and got out. And then I went to law school, hoping to be a Prosecutor. I didn't want the guilty to get out of it like I had. Rehab came and went, and here we are, modern-day, still talking about the same charges._

* * *

Nathan shook his head. "It wasn't all your fault. I told Coach he wasn't giving you enough time to recover. I knew it was bad when you started pulling back from everyone. And yet I didn't do anything about it."

"It was none of your business." She sounded almost venomous as she snapped at him. "It was absolutely_ none_ of your business, and you have no right to blame yourself. If we're going to tiptoe around it, the least we can do is assign the blame where it belongs, and that's with me. I should have drawn the line, but I didn't. Let me take responsibility for my actions in the little way that I can, if nothing else." She sighed, cradling her head in her hands. "There are a lot of things I should have done, but I didn't. I should have demanded they give me a fair trial. I should have been one of those four."

Mariko pushed the hair back from her little sister's face, murmuring something in Japanese. Yoshiya made a small sound of approval, but Kiria snapped back at them.

Tessa came whizzing through the door at that moment, a giant smile on her face. "Miss Nomura! How are you feeling?" She seemed to belatedly pick up on the mood of the room, pausing momentarily as she looked around. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No, not at all." Kiria seemed to compose herself, offering up a smile to the sweet nurse. "What'd you ask? I'm sorry."

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine. Tired, but hey, you can't have everything." She tried to chuckle, but it got caught in her throat.

Tessa giggled for both of them. "Well, your blood work came back clean. The doctor's new diagnosis is exhaustion. With a few days of bed rest, you should be back up to your normal health."

"That's good to hear." There was a general relief about the room, and she seemed to defrost with the realization. "How are you holding up?"

Tessa's smile seemed even wider, were it possible. "Great. Much better than yesterday." She came over to the bed, fluffing one of the pillows. "Are you comfortable enough? How about hungry? I can get you some food, if you're hungry."

She shook her head. "No, thank you. I think I might sleep a bit more instead. I'm suddenly feeling tired again."

Concern flitted across Tessa's face as she checked all of the machines. "I'm going to go check with the doctor and make sure that's normal. I'll be back in a few minutes." She exited the room quickly, leaving them alone in the room again.

"You really should eat something," Yoshiya told her quietly, but she shook her head.

"I'm not hungry." She focused her gaze back on Nathan. "Do you have any more questions?"

He shook his head. "Not for now." He stood up, reaching over to take one of her cold hands. "I'm going to fix this, you hear me? I will, if it's the last thing I do."

"I believe you." She squeezed his hand, offering up the slightest hint of a smile. "Go out there and fix it. I'll be fine here."

He let go, nodding at Edgeworth, Maya, and Phoenix. Together, the four exited the room.

It wasn't until they were out of her sight that Kiria remembered she hadn't even asked about the trial.

* * *

"What now?" Phoenix asked.

Edgeworth put his hands in his suit pocket. "Will you be fine away from Trucy, Wright?"

He nodded. "She's taken a shine to Mariko, and Kiria's there as well. Speaking of others, though, what happened to Franziska and Lang? They didn't come to the hospital like I thought they would."

"They're at the forensics lab. This trial is going to wrap up pretty quickly with Nomura's testimony. They just have to make sure they have the evidence to prove it true."

Nathan nodded. "Good. We'll need all of the evidence we can get."

"Where do we go now?" Maya asked. "I mean, we've got some questions we need to answer now. What happened to the pill in the bottle?"

"That's the biggest question we have to answer. If we can find it, we can punch through Holcomb's motive and render her theory obsolete."

Edgeworth shrugged. "I'm not so worried about that. I'm more worried about our motive. What was so important to Elias Whitman that he poisoned the Defense Attorney? And what is so important about this case that Lysander Triton and Angela Laytonne died because of it?"

"Damn, I forgot to ask Kiria about that," Nathan cursed. He had half of a mind to turn around and go back to the hospital, but he remembered the blatant fatigue in her eyes as they were leaving. She hadn't been lying about being tired, and he could tell. Testimony tomorrow was going to wear her out; best to let her get some sleep first. "I don't know what more we can do with it, until we know what Kiria knew."

Phoenix shook his head. "Don't start jumping to conclusions. We have a new victim that no one has looked at yet, remember?"

"Lysander Triton," Edgeworth contributed, nodding.

"You think that we might be able to find more evidence from that?" Nathan asked, thinking it over. "But we don't think Lysander was killed by Elias Whitman, do we?"

He was met with a collective shrug. "We won't know until we check it out, right?" Maya asked.

"True," he admitted. "Who wants to go do what?"

Maya grinned, having been nodded at to pick first. "Um . . . how about Nick and I go check out the dead guy?"

Phoenix shook his head. "I can't. I'll go question Hermia Laytonne again."

"Huh? Why not?"

He turned to look at her with the ghost of a superior smile on his lips. "I can't be around anything with evidence, remember? I was disbarred for it."

Her face fell as she realized the sense in what he was saying. "I don't think she likes me much."

"Why don't you go with Edgeworth to Triton's home, Maya? And I'll check out Kiria's house, see if I can't find the missing pill." Nathan scanned the faces around him. "Sound good?"

There was a hint of a grin on Edgeworth's face. "Fine with me. Nice to see you taking charge, Price." He turned to Maya. "Shall we?"

She nodded, turning to Phoenix and pecking him on the cheek. "See you later, Nick."

Nathan and Phoenix watched the two leave toward Edgeworth's car with quite different thoughts in their heads. Phoenix was trying to chase away the jealousy he felt at not being allowed to be near the evidence.

Nathan, on the other hand, had nudged the former attorney firmly. "I'm not going to lie, Wright. I don't really trust you."

Phoenix smiled. "I hadn't guessed that." His tone was sarcastic, and Nathan realized there was something more to the man than the teddy bear-like persona he put on for Maya. There was a strange vibe that seemed to encompass the man, reaching something between cool professionalism and a deep-seated apathy that was beginning to grow more and more each day. "Because I was accused of falsifying evidence?"

"Exactly. I don't trust anyone who can't let the evidence speak for itself." He was trying to hold his own against the older man, but he felt like a child under the gaze Phoenix had. Dammit, he was the head attorney on this case, and he needed to speak his mind! "I don't want you around the evidence. Obviously everyone else sees something in you that I don't, but that doesn't mean that I have to trust you like that."

The smirk Phoenix gave was infuriating. "I understand. Believe me, Nathaniel, I want to solve this as much as you do."

Nathan could feel his anger rising. What right did Phoenix Wright have to call him by his full name? What right did he have to smirk? His hands bunched into fists, and he forced himself to take a few long breaths in and out before he did something he regretted. "I hope you do understand," he said slowly. He was starting to feel foolish for even attempting this. "I will not hesitate to remove you from the case if you violate the trust I am giving you."

Phoenix didn't respond to that, only raised a shoulder in acknowledgement and began to walk towards the Detention Center.

Nathan was starting to feel like he didn't hold all of the power in this case.

* * *

**A/N: Another shorter chapter (you might as well start expecting them until the end of this trial; I don't divine they're going to get any longer), but full of information. This is a pretty crucial chapter, if only for Kiria's backstory. How does everyone like the sectioning off of it, by the way? I like writing it that way (and I experimented, some of you should remember, with Nathan's retelling of meeting Kiria in The Translated Turnabout), but how is it as a reader? Not too many chapters now until the end of The First Strike; I'm hoping to get it done by the end of February, but that may be a bit too much to ask for.**

**Comments!**

**Psykit: Aw, thank you! Here's your request, fulfilled (partially by necessity, but hey!). Ooh, what do you think I'll eventually do? Eh, regardless, you're probably not going to like what happens. xD Did you get my email, by the way?**

**Zorua: Thank you! Well, I'm honored to have the first review from your phone (and the first download; I must be doing something good, right?)!**

**Blaze: Can I tell you that your reviews always make me giggle? Have there really been that many cliffhangers? I guess I didn't realize how many there are! Then again, it's harder to discern what a cliffhanger is when you know what's going to happen next, haha. Thank you, my dear, and I'll attempt to keep it up!**

**Knightofdestiny: Well, here's another chapter for you; sorry you had to wait so long! Hopefully it was all you wanted it to be and more!**

**I'm thinking of changing up the comment style for the next installment; maybe replying to people using PMs and the review system instead? Give me some input; I live to serve you all, right? :D**

**Read and Review!**


	35. Turnabout Secrets: Investigation 2b

**Chapter Thirty-Four :: Turnabout Secrets :: Investigation :: Day 2 :: Part 2**

"How much longer?" Franziska asked as they waited for the chemical composition results to come out. "This is ridiculous."

Lang suppressed a smile. "Lang Zi says—"

"Oh, shut up with the Lang Zi stuff." Her reply was brusque, and it took everything he had not to chuckle at her. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was so childish that it was endearing. Besides, her superior mood had slipped with the remark, and he liked to see the teenager behind the mask. It was a good thing her father had been an attorney and not a criminal; it would have been hell if they'd been on opposing sides. "Just give me an answer."

"Another two minutes."

She groaned, slapping the desk with her whip in impatience. "It would have been faster to test it all manually!"

"We don't have the means to test for all of the compounds individually like the machine does," Lang reminded her. "You can go back to evidence swabbing, if you'd like." The last was said teasingly; she'd left evidence swabbing half an hour ago because it was too slow.

She glowered at him, flicking him with her whip. He let the end tap his cheek, not bothering to grab the end like he would have if she hadn't been so wound up. "Don't be foolish."

"Just relax, sister. It won't get done any faster with you fretting about it. What's got you all riled up anyways?" he asked, lazing on his elbow.

"Were you in that courtroom?" she hissed, angry again. "That was . . . libel, it was slander, it was—"

"It wasn't against you. Again, why are you so worked up about it?"

She shot him an annoyed look, obviously displeased that he couldn't keep up. "Because I helped her."

Okaaaay, now he was really lost. "With drugs?" he asked.

"No!" He was rewarded with another lash for his troubles. "During the Hawkins trial. I helped her; I aided a criminal." Her features were set in anger, her jaw clenched, hands wrapped around the hilt of her whip. "It would be unforgivable."

He searched her face for any indication that what she was saying wasn't true, and found a bit of it, there in her eyes. "That's not all. You genuinely like her."

"I never said anything of the sort!" she spluttered, as if it were some big scandal.

"Don't worry, sis, you didn't have to. I mean, come on. Yesterday you were worried about her dying on us. Today you're worked up because she might have been involved in drugs. You feel betrayed." Her hands tightened, a silent warning for him not to continue, but he trudged on. "You wanted her to at least mention it or something of the sort. And now you're afraid she's going to be taken away and put into jail, just after you've decided you could live with having her as a friend, or at least an opponent," he amended, seeing her murderous expression. "You've got abandonment issues."

That brought on the barrage. "How dare you!" she shouted at him, flicking her whip forcefully at him several times. He allowed a few to hit before he caught it mid-stride, narrowly nicking him on the shoulder. "You have no idea what I'm thinking or what issues I have!" she said, trying to pull it from his grasp. "To be so . . . _so__ narcissistic_ that you should believe you know everything about me is . . . unforgivable!"

"Narcissistic?" he repeated in disbelief. Well, that hadn't been the word he'd have used. "Seriously, sis, when are you going to wake up and realize you've got problems just like everyone else?"

"I am a Von Karma! I am Perfection! I _have to be_ Perfection!" With that, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, ashamed when the tears started running hot and fast down her face.

The chemical composition machine beeped, announcing the analysis was complete, and he waited a full minutes before taking the sheet from the printer. He needed to get a clamp down on his anger before he did something irrational, like shredding the paper and being forced to print a new one.

* * *

It was with a heavy heart that Phoenix made his way to the Detention Center. He hadn't been here since he'd been disbarred, and he hadn't planned on coming back any time soon. He'd have preferred to be at the scene, searching for evidence as had always been his forte. Instead, he was preparing to talk to a Defendant who wasn't his client and would never be his client. He felt a strange sense of duty to her, though, probably brought on by the fact that her lawyer couldn't defend her anymore. He didn't know if he felt the same way about Zak Gramarye. His feelings were conflicted when he thought about his last client, but he was still angry, so _angry_ about how it had all ended that it was hard to sympathize with the man.

But he wasn't visiting Zak Gramarye, he reminded himself. He was visiting Hermia Laytonne, a woman who was scared out of her wits about what had happened to her sister and her former lover, and even her lawyer now. He needed to put the kid gloves on, handle her with care, and hope that the questions he asked would be enough to convince her to talk about what she was so scared of.

He rapped his fingers on the desk in front of him as he waited for her to show up. It wasn't impatience; it was nerves. He was genuinely nervous about sitting in the place he'd been before, acting like he had before, doing what he'd done. He shook his head as he thought about what had motivated him here. _The things I do for Kiria Nomura._

It wasn't too much longer until Hermia Laytonne came out from the nearby door, sitting on the opposite side of the glass from him.

She looked haunted.

The dark rings under her eyes had him believing she was only steps from her grave. Her skin was drawn tightly over her cheekbones, and she had a gaunt air about her. Her stare was vacant as she looked at him, and it took him a few minutes that she wasn't actually looking_at_ him, but through him. He cleared his throat, but she didn't respond. She didn't even blink.

He tried again. "Miss Laytonne?" he gently asked.

That seemed to get through to her, if only for a minute. Her eyes flickered to meet his, and then flickered back to their original target, which had been through the middle of his chest.

"Miss Laytonne? Will you speak to me for a while?"

Again her eyes flickered. She opened her mouth, and only a quiet rasp came out. After another minute, he heard a nearly-silent, "Who are you?"

"My name is Phoenix Wright." Something like recognition flickered in her eyes, but it was gone in the next moment. "I work with Kiria Nomura. She was your lawyer."

Again, recognition. It was fleeting, but she was understanding what he was saying. After another minute, she looked him in the eyes. "How is she?"

"Kiria? She's fine. The doctor diagnosed her with exhaustion." He leaned forward, knitting his hands together in front of him on the table. "How are _you_ doing?"

"Fine." Her eyes, which had been trained on him for the last thirty seconds, flew around the room before settling on his chest again. She was shutting down, now that she'd gotten her answer.

He wasn't about to let that happen again. "Miss Laytonne." She looked surprised, her eyes meeting his again. "Please, I need you to talk to me. Why don't we start out with what happened the third day of your trial?" He was trying to lure her back in time by distracting her with Kiria's case. It was a long shot, but he had to take what he could get.

She seemed to retreat back into herself for a minute, and then she took a deep breath and straightened. The look in her eyes was the strongest he'd seen her look all day. "What happened to Miss Nomura, right?"

"Right."

She looked up, her eyes searching slightly left as she reminisced. He let her have a few minutes—she looked like she was at her wit's end already—before he asked her what she was remembering. After a long, searching moment, she trained her eyes back on him. "Miss Nomura was talking with the Prosecutor—Edgewords or something like that—before the trial. She had a styrofoam cup in her hands, and she kept taking long gulps from it, like she was trying to finish it. I remember that she had a strange look on her face every time she took a sip, like she really didn't like it. She came over to me, when I got in the lobby, and she, her friend, and I talked."

"Friend?" he asked.

"The girl; she must have been eighteen or so. Dark hair, topknot, dressed in strange clothes?"

Maya. "Oh, alright. Continue."

"Anyways, we talked until the trial started. Miss Nomura was acting kind of strange though; she kept zoning out in the middle of sentences and every so often, she'd start talking in another language. It was weird, but I figured it was just nerves. After all, the trial wasn't going so well, and she didn't hesitate to let me know when it wasn't."

Phoenix leaned forward, trying to process this. "Are you saying she was already acting strangely before the trial started?"

"I think so. I mean, I don't know her well, but she'd been so professional before the trial the other days, so it was a surprise when that started slipping."

"Okay. Then what?"

Hermia looked down. "We went in for the trial. She was kind of teetering around, but she was saying something about having caffeine on an empty stomach and waved it off. Then, maybe two minutes into the trial, she tried to object to something the Prosecution had said, and after babbling for maybe fifteen seconds, she just passed out right there."

"Do you remember anyone else's reactions?" he asked. Whatever she said wouldn't be permissible in a court of law, but it might be helpful.

"The friend—the one with the topknot—she started screaming. She seriously flipped. The Prosecutor started calling for an ambulance, and then after that, I don't know. Everyone seemed to be panicking."

"Did you see Elias Whitman?" he pressed her. "Did you see how he reacted?"

She shook her head. "I know he was there, I just . . . I don't know what he did."

A perfect opening. She'd loosened up, and he was hoping she'd answer the question before she thought. "What do you know about Elias Whitman? What did he witness?"

She clammed up immediately. "I don't know anything." She started to ignore him again, and he stood abruptly.

"Please, Miss Laytonne! We need to know what you know!" he begged. "Something about this case got our friend poisoned with what should have been a fatal dosage of Rydientrol, and I need to know _why_. What made Kiria Nomura such a target? What did she know that put her in the crosshairs?"

She looked at him with steely eyes filled with tears. "You don't want to know! No one wants to know! Everyone that knows dies! Do you have nothing more to live for?" she demanded.

* * *

The car ride was quiet. Excruciatingly quiet. Maya hummed as quietly as she could in an attempt to keep herself from speaking first, from breaking the silence that had fallen uncomfortably between them. In all reality, they didn't talk much. He'd been the enemy—or more, the frenemy—for as long as she could remember. Sure, there had been moments of camaraderie between them after cases and such, but she'd never really gotten the vibe that they were _friends_. She felt more than a little uncomfortable, being alone in his setting.

That being said, it had been twenty minutes and not a word had been spoken. She needed to talk, or else she'd explode. In the last 24 hours, she'd seen her best friend poisoned, accused of drug abuse, and miraculously wake up from a coma that should have signified her death. It was to much for her to handle, too much too fast.

"Mr. Edgeworth?" she asked timidly, afraid she'd be on the receiving end of the grunts he often utilized when he didn't want to answer questions.

Instead, he turned his head to look at her momentarily before redirecting his eyes to the road. "Hm?" he asked, not unkindly. In all reality, the car being silent had felt too strange, but he hadn't wanted to turn up the radio in case she'd thought it rude, but he also didn't know how to engage her in conversation.

"Can I ask a question? About the case, I mean," she said quickly, as if it would influence whether he would consider answering it or not.

"I suppose." She didn't miss the warmth in his voice, gentle humor coloring his tone. She took it as a good sign and pushed onward.

"What do you think he poisoned her for? I mean, why?"

"You're asking about motive?" he clarified.

"Well, yeah. You have to give one of those, right? Why did he do it?"

It suddenly occurred to him that they hadn't discussed it. He'd wondered, but hadn't voiced his concerns. Their case was just as weak as Holcomb's at this point. "I can't say at this point. To tell the truth, I'm really not sure. As I'm sure I've probably said before, it seems like overkill for the crime committed."

"What if the case was more than everyone thinks? What if it was a matter of life or death?"

Edgeworth sunk into his thoughts, throwing the idea around. It was almost a guarantee now that the case had been more than he'd thought it was. What had Kiria Nomura thought it was? He'd been so distracted with her tale that he'd forgotten the list of questions he'd compiled to ask her. It had been a bad move, he realized. He could attempt to contact her now, but he was certain her cell phone was in a pile of evidence somewhere and he didn't want to bother her at the hospital.

Or what if it hadn't been part of the case? Was there a possibility that someone could want her dead outside of the case? He couldn't believe it. Who could hold a grudge against such a girl? A wry smile was brought to his face as he remembered Payne's constant whining about her (and he knew she'd felt the same way about him; what a coincidence). And then a realization hit him hard enough to bring him to a complete halt. He stomped on the brake, realizing a moment later that it was a good thing no one had been behind him at the time, or they would have been rear-ended.

"Mr. Edgeworth?" Maya shrieked in concern.

He turned the car onto the shoulder of the road, not trusting himself to think over the possibility and drive at the same time.

Natalya Korovina had been in the audience. They'd had the brush with the paranormal crime circle just a few months before. April, he remembered. Four months ago. The last time Kiria Nomura had remembered seeing the pill. The last time she'd seen Reiko Horiyama, who had vowed to destroy her life. Could it be possible that they were making good on their promise?

"Mr. Edgeworth? What's going on?" Maya sounded scared now, and he realized he'd been staring at the steering wheel intently for the better part of two minutes. She was no mind reader, so she couldn't know what he was thinking about. He was at a crossroads, he realized. Should he tell her and risk her reaction, or should he keep it to himself until he had the evidence to back it up? He thought it over before realizing that he really didn't need to tell her anything until he was sure. She hadn't been around during that trial; she'd been taking care of Wright. She couldn't guess what he was thinking of. Besides, he had the strange feeling that he would know whether he was right or not when he saw Lysander Triton's home.

"Nothing. Just a possibility, but I don't think it's important." He kept his features as smooth as possible, trying to hide the processes his brain was firing though. Was that what Angela Laytonne had died for? Or was it Hermia Laytonne? Had either of them found out about _Kronos_ and shared it with the other? Was that why Hermia was so afraid of telling them the truth?

Maya didn't look convinced by his explanation, but she had the sense to keep her skepticism to herself. "I guess if you don't think so . . ." was all she said before resuming her idle watch beyond the windshield.

He couldn't put his finger on the emotion he felt at this point. Was it guilt? Was it superiority? He had this feeling at the pit of his stomach that burned like acid as he watched her. "What do you think?" he asked quietly.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I think I'm guilty for not watching her enough. I was her co-council; I should have realized something was wrong before this happened. I should know what she was going to present. But I didn't." Her eyes were glassy with tears she kept from falling. "It's my fault again. And now I can't even think of a way to solve it."

She felt guilty, despite the fact that she'd only been a concerned party in the whole thing. He knew how it felt, how it festered under the skin until it was beyond any emotion normal people were able to feel, he knew how it ostracized the person who felt it, like a giant red "A" on his breast. He put a hand on her arm, keeping it there until she looked at him.

"Maya Fey, it's not your fault. It's the fault of the man who did this, and he will be the one to pay, not you." His voice was quiet, but he hoped she saw the sincerity in his words.

She nodded slowly, looking up at him with eyes that pleaded innocence. "We'll get him?" she asked quietly.

"We'll get him."

* * *

Nathan felt the urge to knock.

It was laughable, to tell the truth. No one would answer, or if they did, it wouldn't be who he wanted to see. The door was unlocked, he knew, because the forensic team had been in there already, but he didn't want to take the step of just grasping at the knob and turning. He didn't want to see how they'd taken her home apart like they'd seen with Sine Hawkins' apartment, didn't want to see her life deconstructed on a timeline, was tired of her being_ evidence_. Didn't they realize she was a person like the rest of them? She had been, before this whole debacle.

He steeled himself. All he had to do was make a single movement. A gentle twisting of his wrist. If he could just take the cold metal into his hands and twist it, he could get on with the investigation.

Why couldn't he do it?

There was a lump in his stomach, and he felt physically ill when he even thought about doing it. Dammit, he was supposed to be in control of this case! It was supposed to be him solving it all beyond a question, without a doubt by the end of the case that he had orchestrated this all. He hadn't felt this helpless since the Reiko Horiyama case. Doubt washed over him. Did he know what he was doing?

The answer was an obvious no.

It shook him to the core, devastating everything he'd built his leadership on. What was he doing here? He shouldn't have control of this case. He'd always been a follower! Even in the Reiko Horiyama and Sine Hawkins cases, he'd followed Kiria's unquestionable leadership, sharp wit, and brilliant ideas to the end. He'd never been the one to lead the investigation, and now, when it mattered most, he was falling short.

He leaned against the wall, trembling. He wasn't experienced enough to do this case. It wasn't enough that he wanted to solve it. He needed someone to follow, someone who would tell him if he was doing the right thing.

Damn that Phoenix Wright for making him question himself in the first place.

* * *

**A/N: We may get into four parts in this investigation sequence, but I have a feeling we won't. Here's the next chapter, and I'll try to keep a good pace for the one afterwards. However, since I'm writing two fanfictions at once (I've got one going for my friends on the _Sherlock_ series by BBC; excellent show, if you haven't watched it), it may be a bit.**

**Whoa, did I lose some readers? I have the strange feeling that this is due to the Story Marks thing, so make sure the story is on your list so you keep getting notifications!**

**Comments!**

**Zorua: Aw, thank you! I'm glad you liked the backstory; I was almost a little scared I was overdoing it, but since everyone seems to like it so far, I think we're good.**

**Knightofdestiny: Awwwwwwwww. Your comment almost put me in tears. I'm really touched that you think it's so good, and I hope you don't mind that I'm keeping that quote forever. xD And ever and ever and ever. Thank you so much, and I'm so glad that you're a reader.**

**Read and Review? Hopefully I gain some of you back!**


	36. Turnabout Secrets: Investigation 2c

**Chapter Thirty-Five :: Turnabout Secrets :: Investigation :: Day 2 :: Part 3**

_Former: She looked at him with steely eyes filled with tears. "You don't want to know! No one wants to know! Everyone that knows dies! Do you have nothing more to live for?" she demanded._

There seemed to be a certain fear surrounding the Detention Center with Hermia's comment. He had to admit that it had the hairs on the back of his neck raising, as if her mouth might actually expel this thing she was so afraid to talk about. He couldn't remember the last time he had been frightened in here, and he really didn't want now to be that time.

Did he have nothing more to live for? He expelled that thought as quickly as it had come. Trucy needed him. Maya needed him. He had plenty to live for, despite the fact that he was still practically useless (his self-esteem hadn't been boosted when the only thing he _could_ do was to question a witness that refused to testify about Elias Whitman). Phoenix aimed his sights for her and clasped the Magatama he still carried around in his hand. Just because he wasn't a lawyer anymore didn't mean that he couldn't use the Power of the Magatama in order to reveal the truth.

"Miss Laytonne, do you know what this is?" he asked, bringing it out of his pocket so she could look at it.

She looked at it coldly. "No."

"This will tell me when you lie." He realized that he had no evidence as he said it and cursed himself. Damn. In the midst of his excitement, he had gotten ahead of himself. Worst case scenario, he exerted too much of the spiritual power he already had so little of and passed out in the Detention Center. Best case scenario, he squeezed what had happened with Elias Whitman out of her. He decided to push onward. Realizing she hadn't responded, he leaned forward. "I need you to tell me what happened with Elias Whitman."

Three Psyche-locks. Less than he'd originally thought, and yet, it was three that he'd have to overcome if he wanted to learn the truth about what had happened. "I don't know anything. I don't even know who that is," she said stubbornly.

Well, he could certainly go with the obvious contradiction there. "I think you do know who he is. After all, he was a witness at your trial. He claims he saw whatever happened between you and your sister."

She shrugged. "I didn't really pay much attention to the trial. There wasn't anyone I knew that testified."

Was she really going to make it this easy? Then again, none of the locks had shattered yet, so perhaps these were preliminary questions? He didn't know. "I think there was. After all, you said yesterday that Lysander Triton was dead. As I recall from the press surrounding the trial, Lysander was your boyfriend, right?"

"No." She seemed tense, and he was confused. What did she mean that they hadn't been together? He was close (he hadn't felt the recoil of spiritual power), but if he got this next guess wrong, it was going to take a lot out of him. Stop? Go? They didn't have the time to spare.

"Ex-boyfriend?" he hazarded a guess. To his surprise, one of the locks shattered, no evidence needed. She must still feel strongly about it, he realized.

She looked down solemnly. "Ex-boyfriend is close enough. We were going to be married, whenever he decided to propose." He stopped himself from making the obvious remark and sat back, thinking. Talking about Lysander Triton had broken one of the Psyche-locks. Why? Was Lysander related to Elias in some way? But how? Family? Friend? Or just a chance acquaintance? Without the necessary information, he couldn't tell. For the fiftieth time today, he wished he had gone to see the trial. Hindsight was 20/20, just like normal, unfortunately.

"What happened?" he asked, hoping she'd say something about Lysander that would throw some light on the relationship.

She looked away, lips pursed. "He decided he liked my sister better."

_Ouch._ That would have been a hard hit to recover from. "Your sister?" he asked for clarification.

"My sister. Angela. That's why they thought I'd killed her, you see. They thought I was jealous."

He cleared his throat. "You weren't?" he asked, trying to keep the incredulous tone out of his voice.

"Of course. But I told him to do it." The last part was said so quietly and quickly that he thought he had misheard it.

"What? You told him to do it?"

She turned her back. "Do you have proof?" she asked coolly. "Until you do, I think this interview is over, Mr. Wright." She was too calm for his tastes, and she had revealed nothing. He had tipped his hand and she still had hers clutched tightly in her palm. Her parting words were just a reminder that until he figured out a way to force it out of her, Hermia Laytonne would remain silent about what she knew.

Overall, the excursion had been a complete waste of time. He waited until she'd exited the door before pocketing the Magatama again and kicking the wall forcefully. With tensions running high, he figured it wasn't a good sign that he'd come back with no new answers. Two psyche-locks, more unanswered questions, and no indication of what had happened between Elias Whitman and Kiria Nomura.

Not for the first time, he wished none of this had happened.

* * *

It took rebelling against ever fiber in his being to turn the doorknob. And then when he did, he felt no relief. Nothing washed over him mercifully, imbuing him with the power to continue. Instead, it seemed to stop him short. The door swung open, and there it was, lying out in front of him. All of the evidence. Everything a jury would ever need to convict her of lying, of hiding from her past mistakes, was before him. He took off his shoes in the linoleum entryway, turning them the other way like she'd taught him to do in college, but she wouldn't be able to tell anyways. Dirt footprints were tracked across the normally spotless carpet, sacrilege to such a clean home like she had.

How many times had he been in here in the last four months? How many times had he teased her about the sparse decorating and that her house barely looked lived in with how paranoid she was about the cleanliness? With dirt tracked all over the house, the mess the forensic team had made, and the fact that she was fifteen miles away from her home currently, it felt cold and impersonal. It didn't feel like hers. Anger welled up in him as he surveyed the damage that had happened. Didn't they care?

Obviously not. He tamped down on the negative feelings, knowing that wouldn't help him. He had to find everything that the Defense hadn't found already, and whatever Arielle Holcomb thought she was going to use as her motive. He started in the bathroom, figuring that they had probably found the empty pill bottle in the medicine cabinet.

It wasn't long before he realized he couldn't be in the apartment alone. He kept jumping at shadows, small noises as the floor groaned under his heels. He needed to calm down, or he'd completely blow it. With a sigh, feeling incredibly foolish, he poked a number out on his cell phone, putting it up to his ear as it rang.

"_Nomura._"

"Yoshiya. It's Nate." He spoke in short, clear sentences. Time was of the essence. "Would you mind stopping by Kiria's place?"

The older man seemed surprised by the request. "_Sure. Anything wrong?__"_

"I can't be in here alone." It stung his ego to lay it out so bare, but not as much as he'd expected it to. In fact, there was a weird relief that came along with asking for help. He was glad to have someone to turn to when it all got hard.

"_Got it. I'll be there in five."_ There was a click as he hung up, and despite no longer having contact, Nathan felt better. He was a pathetic leader, sure, but he had the best working with him. Who needed a leader when there was a league of expert attorneys next to him, ready to catch him if he fell? He might be lead attorney on this case, but if they won, it wasn't due to his efforts, but the efforts of all of them. As cliched as it was, it was going to be the power of teamwork that solved this case.

The medicine cabinet was clean, as were the drawers under the sink. He was about to check the hall cabinets where he knew the towels were when he heard the door open and close. Yoshiya appeared a moment later, a grimace on his face. "They let people in here without taking off their shoes?" he asked incredulously. "At least respect the culture."

He silently agreed. "Do you know anywhere Kiria kept the things she was trying to hide from people?" he asked, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. "Stuff she didn't want anyone to see?"

Yoshiya shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. I've only been in here a few times; if you haven't noticed, my sister and I don't see each other all that much."

"Twice in two months is a rarity, huh?"

He chuckled. "Twice in two _years_ is a rarity. Mariko and I see each other more often, but it's not much. None of us ever could sit still."

"So how do you keep in touch?" he asked, beginning to raid the cabinet he'd been about to before the interruption.

"Phone calls. How else?" It didn't seem to affect their relationship much, that they didn't get to see each other often. They seemed close, closer than he was with his own sister, that was for sure. He also knew they were much farther apart in their ages than he and his sister were. Mariko was in her early thirties, he knew, and Yoshiya was only a few years younger than her. Kiria was the baby of the family, a full five years younger than Yoshiya. He wasn't sure what had motivated them to such closeness.

Nathan reflected his own relationship with his sister against theirs. He and Michelle hadn't spoken since Christmas, eight months ago, and even that had been forced. His sister was two years his elder, and had always felt the need to run his life like she had run hers. The tenuous link they had could be categorized as shaky at best. In all reality, he knew he was the only person to tell her no, and that made him the only person she wanted to hear say yes. He could still remember the words he had said to her at Christmas as to tell her off until something big happened again. "_I'm not going to let you ruin my life like you ruined yours! Damn it, Michelle, you went off the deep end, and now you want to tell me that you know how to live my life better than I can? Fuck off. I don't want to hear it!"_ With that, he'd stormed out of the room. Now, in the face of what had happened to Kiria, he regretted it. If he were in her place, would Michelle have dropped everything like Yoshiya and Mariko had to be by his side?

The silence had fallen over them as Nathan had failed to respond, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw something bright in the previously-empty trash bin. It was a wrapper from a candy, Japanese writing scrawled out over the front. "Hey, did you put this in here?" he called out through the house, unable to see Yoshiya at this precise moment.

He came back into view. "Yeah; is that a problem?"

"Nah, we just don't want to leave it in here. I'll take the bag out, and you can replace it with another one, just in case there's contamination. We just don't want them thinking it's new evidence." He pulled the plastic bag out, pausing as he saw what was nestled in the bottom of the can.

A single blue pill.

* * *

Edgeworth had to acknowledge the truth as he surveyed Lysander Triton's apartment. There was absolutely no evidence here besides the obvious. The man had been stabbed through with a knife, probably an allusion to the Laytonne case. If he continued on that train of thought, it would imply that the killer wanted them to draw the connection between the cases, but that was kind of a stretch at best. Other than the fact that Lysander had been a witness, there was nothing to suggest his death and Angela Laytonne's had anything to do with one another. Stabbing was a common way to kill someone. It could have merely been coincidence they'd died in similar ways.

He sighed. He'd hoped there would be a clue, some light-up sign that revealed the truth, but, of course, it couldn't be that easy. He rubbed at his eyes, feeling them sting under the pressure. He was tired. He'd barely slept the night before, and it was starting to wear on him. His rational side was being drowned under fatigue and concern. He chanced a glance at Maya, who was peering at the bookcase with more interest than she probably should have. There were dark circles under her eyes too. At what point did they start going through the motions, missing vital clues because they glossed over them in a sleepless haze? He rubbed at his eyes again, trying to banish the thought. That wasn't going to happen. The trial would be wrapped up tomorrow with Kiria's testimony.

What Maya had mentioned earlier about motive still bothered him. They had no idea what Elias Whitman had wanted to poison the younger attorney for. It was enough for reasonable doubt.

He went over the evidence he had in his possession from the Laytonne case. He held a heavy bookend completely devoid of fingerprints that the Medical Examiner had declared as the item that had probably stunned Angela during the spat with her sister. Hermia had then taken the opportunity to smoothly stab Angela in the stomach, killing her. He didn't have the knife in his possession, nor the letter that he had presented as motive. Lysander had testified about breaking up with Hermia to be with Angela, so suddenly it had probably taken Hermia off guard. Elias Whitman had been the other witness, who had claimed to be walking by at the time of the murder and heard a bloodcurdling scream. He alleged he had walked in to see Hermia covered in her sister's blood, still holding the knife she had stabbed Angela with.

He massaged the bridge of his nose. The fact that Elias Whitman had been walking by couldn't have been coincidence. Not if he felt threatened enough by the outcome to poison the lead Defense Attorney. But when he'd looked into the link between Hermia Laytonne and Elias Whitman, there had been no connection. Who else could be related?

His thoughts were interrupted by Maya's voice. "Hey, Mr. Edgeworth?"

He looked over at her, attention back in the present. "Hm?"

"I was just looking at this photo . . . they look so happy here. What could have happened?" She was looking at a photo of Hermia and Lysander tucked into a nook on the bookshelf. Both were smiling beatific smiles, his arm thrown around her shoulder, her hand coming up to meet his. It was a casual photo, but obviously it had meant something dear to Lysander if he still had it after breaking up with his girlfriend.

He frowned, looking at it. "They do look happy. Perhaps that was long ago." Time changed everything, and the life of Lysander Triton was no different.

"Here's a photo album. Maybe that'll tell us what happened. A picture's worth a thousand words, you know." She seemed determined to keep her upbeat personality, although there was a part of him that wished that she wouldn't. It was starting to wear on his nerves, the constant happiness. His patience was already thin. He repressed it, however, as she tipped the album open and started looking over the pictures.

They were mainly of the happy couple. Occasionally there would be another person who looked like Lysander, but wasn't. Edgeworth remembered from the case files that Lysander had a brother, although he couldn't remember the name. It started with a D, and it was just on the tip of his tongue . . . . Either way, it wasn't important.

"Oh, look! A family portait!" Maya squealed, infinitely happy at this, although he couldn't fathom why. There was something that caught his eye, however, and made his heart stop.

Elias Whitman stared out at him from the photo. Hermia Laytonne hadn't been the link. Lysander Triton had.

But what was it that would benefit him if Hermia was declared guilty?

* * *

Franziska wasn't sure where she was headed. She needed to be away from Lang and his constant observation, but her car was back in the parking lot a full twenty-five minutes away (and she'd double-checked her watch to make sure she'd actually been walking in her anger for that long) and she didn't feel like walking anywhere near the building the Interpol agent was currently in. Why did he have to get under her skin like he did? Didn't he realize he was just weakening the resolve she had? If he kept chipping away at her like he was doing, she'd end up like her sister: a failure in every sense of the word. Her sister was no longer a Von Karma, just as she would cease to be if she continued to help fools like this. Perfection was demanding, and in order to be so, there were certain standards that had to be kept.

She'd admit now, however, that storming away had seemed like a good idea at the time, but in hindsight, had been foolish. What did she think she was going to accomplish? It had been a childish move, hardly something a seasoned attorney of her caliber should do. She should go back and make light of the situation, claim her nerves had been high and so she'd decided to take a walk. It had nothing to do with what he was saying, of course.

Franziska turned on her heel, resolved to do just that, when a familiar form crossed her path.

"Miss Von Karma," Arielle Holcomb said, tilting her head in greeting.

Franziska stood her ground. "Arielle Holcomb. Just the example I needed to show how corrupt Defense Attorneys can be."

"And just what I needed to prove that Prosecutors can be awful judges of human character," Holcomb bit back.

"Better to convict a guilty defendant than to defend one," she retorted.

"Innocent until proven guilty."

Franziska snorted. "Fool. The proof is all there. The only one too blind to see it is you."

"And your friends have no faults, of course. Did you know Nomura was a drug addict?" Cruel humor shone in her eyes as she asked her question, a smile on her mouth.

Franziska spluttered, hands wrapping around her whip. "Her private life is no concern of mine if it doesn't relate to the case. Which it _doesn't_."

"You'll have to convince the Judge of that. Oh, wait. You're not on the Prosecution, so I guess you don't have to convince the Judge of anything. Poor Nathaniel Price doesn't know what he's getting into."

"Nathaniel Price will reveal the truth!" Franziska shouted, fury coating her voice. "You don't know what you're dealing with. We will have the perfect case!"

"Uh huh. Right, the perfect case. Tell me, did Daddy ever have that perfect case? If I remember correctly, he didn't. What makes you think that you, a failed Von Karma, could have any part in such a thing when your father didn't?"

Holcomb had pushed one button too many. Without warning, the whip flashed, striking down on her shoulder and ribs. "How dare you sully the Von Karma name! You _will_ lose this case, and the truth _will_ come out!" Her thin, pale lips were pressed into a hard line, anger dancing in her eyes. "Mark my words, Arielle Holcomb. You will pay for what you have done. Perhaps not by my hand, but something is going to come around and you will have no defense against it." With those as her parting words, she continued walking down the street, satisfied with the strong clicks her heels made against the pavement.

She'd only made it two blocks before she realized she'd done the same thing with Holcomb as she'd done with Lang. The childish, irrational part of her was hard to restrain with so much pressure on her shoulders.

* * *

Edgeworth and Maya were the last to arrive back at the hospital. The twenty-minute drive to and from Lysander Triton's house hadn't been a total bust, though. They'd realized that Elias Whitman and Lysander Triton were related somehow, although the link between them was fuzzy and undefined. He wasn't sure where they were on the case at this point.

The hospital room was deadly quiet, and he could feel his heart stutter. Had her miraculous recovery been temporary? Had she regressed somehow? The blinds were closed, but he could see the room was dark from the doorway. Perhaps they were just early and no one else had arrived back yet.

As they entered the room, he realized that was impossible; Nathan, Yoshiya, and Phoenix were all seated in the plastic chairs surrounding the bed. He was afraid for a moment, until he saw the warm expression adorning Yoshiya's face. He turned his attention to the bed, trying to figure out what this was all about.

The girl in question was asleep, dozing against her older sister's shoulder with her mouth slightly open. Dark hair draped over her cheek, giving her a decidedly childish look. Trucy was spread over her lap, also sleeping. Mariko fixed him with an unfaltering stare, and he opened his mouth to ask what was wrong as she shot him a murderous glare.

"Shhh," Yoshiya explained quietly. "She finally dropped off to sleep maybe ten minutes ago."

Understanding dawned on his face as he and Maya sat down. They would need to be quiet, as so not to wake her. "What took her so long?" Maya asked in a whisper. "We were gone for hours."

"They tried to get her to eat something first, which went okay until she decided to throw it all back up. The doctor said that was normal enough, especially after what she'd been through. It sounded like she's going to be picky with her food for a while, not that you can blame her much. Then she slept for a little, but woke up screaming. It took us almost an hour to get her calmed down again," Mariko said quietly.

"And is _that_ normal?" Edgeworth asked in concern.

Yoshiya shrugged. "As far as I can tell, the fallout from all of it is going to be varied. There are going to be things she experiences that are normal, and things that aren't. We're just along for the ride."

"Great." Phoenix's voice was layered with sarcasm, but there was something else there, darkening the innocent word beyond concern for his employee. Maya shot him a confused look, the first to pick up on it, but he shook her off. "What did you find out?"

"There's nothing that really connects Lysander Triton and Nomura. But there _is_ a link between Lysander Triton and Elias Whitman."

They all gave a start, shocked. "What?" Nathan hissed.

"We were trying to find out what happened between Lysander and Hermia through old photos, and instead we found Elias Whitman in the photo album. A family photo, no less."

"You think Elias Whitman and Lysander Triton are from the same family?" Phoenix asked.

"I think they're related somehow. I'm not sure what this has to do with the Laytonne case, however." What did Elias have to gain if Hermia was found guilty? She and Lysander were no longer a couple, according to the note he'd presented as motive in the earlier case. What did Hermia have that Elias wanted?

"Hermia said something that had me confused today. She said that she'd been the one to break up with Lysander. Or more, she'd told him to break up with her. When I tried to ask her why, she clammed up and wouldn't tell me anything. I can force it out of her with evidence, but . . ." He broke off, rubbing his face with his hand. "If we don't have the evidence, we can't find out why. Or what happened."

"Do you think Kiria knows?" Nathan asked.

All eyes were trained on the slumbering woman. Feeling uncomfortable under their gazes, Mariko ran her hands through her younger sister's hair in a protective manner. "Whatever questions you have can wait until morning," she asserted. "She needs rest."

Nathan opened his mouth to argue, but Yoshiya waved him off. Once Mariko had made up her mind, it was impossible to change it, especially if it concerned her sister. "We'll meet up tomorrow morning before the trial. We should have plenty of time to ask her questions, and the ones that don't get answered can be answered on the witness stand." He chanced a glance at the clock, mouth twisting unhappily. "Visiting hours are almost over. They let us stay last night, but I don't know that they'll be so understanding tonight."

"I'm not leaving." Mariko's voice was flat, but her eyes challenged anyone to try to persuade her otherwise.

Yoshiya shrugged. "You'll have to take that up with the nurse. My back hurts from these chairs; I'm going to spend the night in a real bed tonight." He leaned over to kiss Mariko's cheek, and then ghosted over Kiria's forehead. She didn't stir.

After extracting Trucy from the bed, they went their separate ways, knowing that they'd come back together in the morning for the trial that would inevitably prove to be more confusing the second day than it had the first.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter is so delayed! Begging for forgiveness is in order. Actually, this was both easy and hard to write. I haven't written a Magatama scene before, so give me some feedback. Lots of family issues in this one too. Also, we're in the test period for replying to comments; how does everyone like it? This allows us to have a dialogue, which I enjoy (I like to get to know who my readers are!), so if it's not too much trouble, log in so I can reply to you properly!**

**Also, everyone who missed the chapter before and found out about it last chapter, I giggled at all of your reactions. I must be doing _something_ right!**

**Comments (to those who haven't logged in)**

**Blaze: Haha, I like Franziska's anger. I feel at times that I overplay it (and it does seem very tsundere now that I read back over things), but since no one's complained yet, it doesn't seem to be overplayed. Thank you about the Nate/Phoenix debate! I've been trying to hint that Nate doesn't like Phoenix, but hey, it hasn't been laid out like that yet. But I'm glad you like it.**

**Psykit (I know, we're talking otherwise, but . . .): I just realized that I still didn't do anything about clarifying the whole Nate thing this chapter. I will attempt to remember it next chapter! Hopefully.**

**Read and Review!**


	37. Turnabout Secrets: Trial 2a

**Chapter Thirty-Six :: Turnabout Secrets :: Trial :: Day 2 :: Part 1**

The trial was later than normal. It had been delayed first by the Judge, who had been presiding over a case that had run over. Then Arielle Holcomb had a problem with a witness she was planning to call. Nathan felt his nerves grating as they sat in the courtroom lobby for what was quickly becoming the second hour. His hands were balled into fists, and he was slowly simmering beneath the surface.

Franziska, standing next to him with her arms crossed obstinately over her chest, was just as irritated.

Lang wasn't too far away, talking casually with Edgeworth, but she could still feel the hostility between them as if it were a glass wall separating them. After meeting Holcomb, she'd been too rattled to return to the lab, and so had returned to her office. She'd dug up some about possible places where the Rydientrol could have been taken from, but overall, she hadn't found a definitive answer. Her failure, coupled with the fact that she hadn't set things straight between them, left her rattled. She was Franziska Von Karma; nothing should leave her feeling less than perfect. But this had, and she didn't like it at all.

"We should be investigating," Nathan growled under his breath.

Franziska rolled her eyes. "Fool. A lot of things need to be done; this is just a waste of everyone's time. A brilliant tactic by a foolishly foolish Defense."

"I really don't want to hear that anything the Defense has done is brilliant," he replied wearily. "I just want this trial over with."

He half-expected her to retaliate with violence, but she didn't. She merely huffed and tugged at her sleeves quietly.

Things got generally better when Kiria walked in with Mariko and Tessa a half hour later. She was dressed normally for court, a dark pencil skirt paired with a white blouse, black blazer over the top of the ensemble. And, of course, she had those heels she never came into court without. Other than her face being a shade or two paler than normal, it was hard to believe that just three days before, she'd passed out in this same courthouse.

Lang grinned at her, opening his arms for an embrace. "Hey there, sister! You're looking well." She rewarded him with a smile and a hug, although it felt strange to hug a person she barely knew. Either way, he was here for this case, to support her in some way, and she was grateful.

She went around the room, following up with Edgeworth (who surprised her with a hug of his own). Trucy ran up, declaring, "Me next, me next!", which made everyone smile. Phoenix attempted to be gentle, although his efforts were probably negated when Maya followed up with a bone-crushing hold. After wheezing dramatically a few times and laughing, she moved on to Franziska. She wasn't quite sure what to do, seeing as they'd never been especially close, but still allies. Going in for a hug might mean a slap with the whip. She decided to let Franziska make the first move.

She surprised her. Another hug. Perhaps there was a conspiracy going on. Afterwards, Franziska merely fixed her with an icy stare and declared, "It would have looked weird to do anything different." There was a giggle from that response, as well as a cough Phoenix expelled that sounded suspiciously like, "damage control". The remark didn't amuse Franziska, but Kiria looked away before she could see the consequences. She could hear them well enough.

Nate was last, and her resolve wavered as she saw how tired he looked. He was doing this for her, she knew. Guilt brewed inside of her, threatening to lash out. He offered a smile, breaking the tension and making her smile back. She moved into his arms and he hugged her back firmly. A feeling of déjà vu washed over them both prompting light laughter from both of them and a reevaluation of how much they'd changed. Hoping he'd jumped on the same train of thought, she grinned. "I think you've gotten taller."

"And you've gotten thinner. And older too," he teased, amending it quickly with, "not that anyone could tell."

She flipped her hair, shrugging vainly. "They'd better not be able to." She couldn't keep the smile off her face for very long, and it eventually broke through the serious expression she'd put on. "Ready for the trial?"

His face fell. "More than ready. We've been waiting for two hours now to start; apparently Holcomb can't figure out how to call a witness."

"Holcomb's the Defense?" Kiria said in surprise. She frowned, murmuring something under her breath. "No matter," she finally said. "Who's my Prosecution?"

"Edgeworth and I. We're going to win this for you, Kiria."

She smiled again. "I know. It's not me you have to convince; it's the judge."

"What will happen now?" Tessa asked, having been forgotten with the arrival of the victim.

"Once the trial starts, Kiria will be called as the main witness. It's going to be a bit touch-and-go for testimony; I don't think I've ever requested testimony from an attempted murder victim before," Edgeworth explained, apologizing. "Afterwards, the ball is in Holcomb's court. She cross-examines to find flaws in the testimony, and we try to rebuttal those flaws with the evidence we have." He turned to Kiria. "Have you ever been a witness?"

She shook her head.

"It's not hard. All I need you to do is to tell the truth about whatever I asked you. Holcomb's going to ask you about things you probably don't want to talk about. Unfortunately, well, you know the consequences of pleading the fifth. I wouldn't recommend it in this trial."

"I'll talk. It's not like word hasn't gotten around by now." She didn't seem too worried about it. She must have come to terms with it before stepping foot into the courthouse.

The bailiff interrupted whatever Edgeworth was going to say next. "Court will convene in five minutes. Sorry for the delay." He nodded his head at them, tipping his cap to excuse himself.

A silence fell around the group, the solemnity of the situation hitting them square in the face. This was it. The trial of a lifetime would be starting, and it was up to Nathan to lead the charge. It took her two seconds to decide what to do. "We'll catch up with you all. I want to talk to Nate for a second." She twined her arm through her best friend's, pulling him off to the side. "Let's take a walk," she suggested, taking them in the direction of the courthouse doors.

"But the trial's starting in five minutes!" he protested.

"We'll be back in plenty of time." She led him out into the cool morning air, down the steps and then turned them around to look at the building they'd just exited. "Talk to me," she finally said. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said, but he had responded too quickly. His unsteadiness showed on his face, and from the look on hers, she'd already anticipated what the problem was. It would be easier just to tell her outright. "I don't know if I can do this," he admitted, the words rushing out of him before he could rethink the decision.

"Do what?"

"This. This trial. I mean, I've never been the leader. I've never been the one to fully do an investigation on my own!"

She cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean, on your own? As far as I can tell, you're no more alone than you were in the Horiyama trial. Less, even." She sighed when he looked confused. "You still have a co-council, you have a victim, and you have people supporting you from all sides. You're not alone in this, Nathan. Everyone in that courtroom, sans Holcomb, is rooting for _you_."

"But that's the problem! I can't live up to their expectations. I should have never been elected as lead Prosecutor for this case!"

She chuckled. "You got kicked out of the nest. The rest of us know that you're ready to fly. What's got _you_ hung up about it?"

"I don't know that I can win this one."

He knew he'd said the wrong thing when she'd drawn herself up to her full height and looked at him square in the eyes. "Nathaniel Price, never, ever, _ever_ say that again." She was angry now, furious even. "The minute we walk into that courtroom, we cease to be best friends. I am your client, and you are my attorney. Right now, your job is no different than that of the Defense: you need to get a Guilty verdict for someone else. But taking on that part of the job isn't enough. You have to take on all of it.

"As your client, I need to be reassured. You have to believe in yourself so that I can believe in you. I'll tell you what my mentor told me the first time I had a client. Good or bad, your client has the right to the truth. As a lawyer, you have an obligation not to get them a certain verdict, but to help them learn the truth. As your client, that is all I'm asking of you, and that is something I know you can do."

"But . . . but this is unlike anything I've ever done. It's harder, and I don't know where this is going. I've never done something like this."

Kiria shook her head. "Remember the Reiko Horiyama case? When Natalya claimed to have implicated Reiko, we were at a loss. What were you going to do then?"

"I . . . don't know. I was just going to try to work it out during the trial," he admitted.

"Then that's what you're going to do with this trial." Kiria took hold of his hands, squeezing them between her own. "Forget that I'm anything more than a witness. You just need to do what you're good at, and I'll come up with the rest. Okay?"

He wasn't completely convinced, but he did feel a little more confident going into the case. "I don't see how you can do it," he said, shaking his head in awe.

"How I can do it? How I can do what?"

He squeezed her hands back. "How you can keep strong through all of this. You've been poisoned, and yet, you still come back with a smile. I don't get it."

She shook her head. "I'm not strong at all. I'm only doing what I can to help out."

"But even when you weren't poisoned. You kept being a leader. You made Sine Hawkins believe in you in Washington DC, and you got Reiko Horiyama convicted back in April. Hell, even back when we were dancing, you were so good at what you did that it put everyone else to shame. I've always wished that I could be like you."

She gave a short, humorless laugh. "No, I've never been that. I couldn't keep going as a dancer, so I fell on drugs to support me. Everything after that has been retribution. You never needed to do that, because you never got into it in the first place. You were always the good kid, Nate. The strong one. Just because you have a moment or two of weakness doesn't make you weak. It makes you human." She found she couldn't look him in the eyes, so she tugged on a hand. "Come on, you have a trial to win."

* * *

"The Court reconvenes for the trial of Whitman v. State of California." The Judge looked especially grave today, the normal traces of humor gone from his lined face. "Is the Prosecution ready?"

"We are, your Honor," Nathan replied, sparing a glance at Edgeworth out of the corner of his eye. The man looked determined, brows falling heavily over his dark eyes. A man ready for battle. Just as Nathaniel should be. He took a deep breath, toying with his jacket sleeve for a minute to compose himself.

"Is the Defense ready?"

"Ready, your Honor." Arielle Holcomb sounded extraordinarily disaffected today, her tone lofty and uncaring.

"Then this trial shall start." The judge banged his gavel against the block, the sound echoing finality. "Will the Prosecution please give its opening statement?"

Nathan took another deep breath, standing. He could feel Edgeworth's hand against his shoulder, an indicator of trust and confidence in him. "Yesterday, Miss Holcomb alleged that the victim in the case, Kiria Nomura, had not been poisoned by another, but had succumbed to an age-old addiction using a poison when she ran out of the drug. The Prosecution now has the evidence to refute that claim." Edgeworth's hand tightened on his shoulder, and Nathan blinked in confusion. Was this a warning? He turned slightly so he could see the man's expression and saw small signs of confusion.

Ah, right. He'd forgotten to mention the pill he'd found yesterday. So much for the trust factor.

"Is the Prosecution intending to show the court, or are we supposed to see the invisible evidence?" Holcomb asked.

Nathan felt his face burning. "The Prosecution presents a pill of Rydeine, found in the victim's home."

Holcomb's eyes scrutinized his. "Where did you find this?"

"Inside of the trash can. Under the bag, presumably where no one would look, since the bag was completely empty."

"Objection!" Holcomb shouted, but he could see the worry beginning to flourish. "That doesn't prove anything! What if the victim wasn't aware of the location of the pill?"

Nathan shook his head. "Miss Holcomb, how drunk do you have to be to put a pill you were intending to take under the bag in your trash can?" That got a chuckle out of the court, even if he did receive a penalty for it. It was small, and worth it, judging by her reaction to it. She'd turned a lovely shade of crimson, somewhere between tomato and plum. After the Judge had gotten the court under control once again, he cleared his throat. "In any case, that question is pure conjecture. We can ask Miss Nomura if she was aware of it. The Prosecution calls Kiria Nomura to the stand!"

* * *

There was general applause in the courtroom as the young woman took the stand, looking as well as ever, looking more put-together than most of the courtroom. She'd been absent from the opening statement, being a witness, and had taken the time to refresh her makeup and smooth her hair back down. The composed smile on her lips was immediately endearing, and Nathan had to smile. This was the Kiria he knew: the girl who put up a fight before the fight even got started. Arielle Holcomb was going to have a hell of a time cross-examining her.

She waved to the gallery, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. "I guess I didn't realize I was so popular," she said humbly. He could see the half of the gallery who knew her personally roll their eyes. This was an act, meant to sway the judge towards her.

Attorneys always made the most interesting witnesses.

Even the Judge seemed to want to smile back at her. "Very nice to see you again, Miss Nomura. May I congratulate you for your recovery?"

"That's so kind of you, your Honor! Thank you for your consideration!"

There was a Dahlia Hawthorne-esque tinge to this mask, Edgeworth decided. She seemed so innocent, so feminine, that it was hard to imagine her as the drug addict Holcomb had described her as. Had she planned that, or was there just a coincidental similarity? Either way, he had to hope it didn't come back to hurt her case later. "Your Honor, I had the privilege of talking with one of the nurses who has been administering Miss Nomura's care. She wanted the court to know that Miss Nomura is not at a full one-hundred percent yet, and she will probably tire easily. It is in the interest of the court, as well as Miss Nomura's health, to be gentle while questioning her."

"Thank you for the warning, Mr. Edgeworth. Miss Holcomb, do you agree to that?"

"Absolutely, your Honor. Miss Nomura's health is the most important thing in this courtroom, even before finding out who poisoned her." The sneer on her face completely contradicted her words, but there was nothing that could be done about it.

Nathan cleared his throat. "Witness—" he said, cutting off as he realized how strange it was to be calling her that. "Witness," he attempted again, this time with more success, "please state your name and occupation."

"My name is Kiria Nomura, and I am a Defense Attorney at the Wright Talent Agency." She smiled at him encouragingly, telling him wordlessly that he was doing well, and to keep on going.

He cleared his throat, wiping his hands on his pants to get rid of the sweat. Edgeworth sent him a look with a cocked brow that said, "Professional, Price. Really professional." He cleared his throat again, this time in embarrassment. He felt self-conscious, despite the fact that the trial had started off well. "We'd like to ask you about your, um . . . uh, drug . . . um, the Rydeine." He'd been trying to phrase it delicately, but this was the best he'd come up with.

She chuckled at his fumbling. "What would you like to know?" She didn't seem to be angry, the opposite actually, as she was smiling in his direction.

"You are a former drug addict, correct?"

"No." The iciness of the word chilled him, and then she was all smiles again. "It's not that I deny ever having been a drug addict, but I prefer to think of myself as one. After all, it's a constant battle against it."

"Huh?" He couldn't stop himself from echoing the word.

"I will, for the rest of my life, be a recovering addict, because the minute you believe it's all over is the minute you succumb again. But if you'd like to use the term 'former,' I suppose I can go along with it." She was rambling slightly, which was strange, because when she was nervous, she tended not to talk, for fear of her English usage. He supposed it forced her to keep answering questions this way, if she refused to shut down.

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "If you don't mind, we'd rather use 'former'. Now, Miss Nomura, how long have you been clean?"

Her eyes gravitated to the ceiling, index finger tapping her lower lip thoughtfully. "It's been almost five years now, as far as I remember. It might be a little longer than that."

"Objection! How can we tell if the witness is lying?" Holcomb shouted.

Edgeworth spread his hands. "Do you have proof that the witness is? Innocent before proven guilty, might I remind you?"

She backed down. Edgeworth resumed questioning.

"Have you come in contact with the drug since?"

"I keep a bottle in my medicine cabinet as a reminder, if that's what you're asking. But I never take it."

"It?"

She smiled. "There's one pill in the bottle. After I was exonerated of my charges, I went home and disposed of all of the medication except for one pill. It's a reminder. It was hard to break from the addiction, but I still did it. I look at it when I'm particularly stressed, and I'm not sure I can pull through. It reminds me that I can." The real motives were much darker, but the court didn't need to know about that, and Kiria didn't feel like sharing.

Nathan nodded, taking control back. "So, to conclude, Miss Nomura, you haven't taken a dose of Rydeine since five years ago?"

"That's correct."

"Objection!" Holcomb shouted. "Where's the evidence? Anyone under suspicion doesn't just get to explain it away!"

Nathan held up the single pill. "The evidence is this. As anyone familiar with drug development knows, drug composition changes after certain amounts of time in order to improve their quality. The composition of this dose of Rydeine matches a sample made five years ago. In any case, it is not similar to the current drug. If Miss Nomura were still administering the drugs, she would have a much more recent dosage, not one from five years ago!"

"B—But that doesn't prove . . . anything!" Holcomb attempted to rebuttal.

"Perhaps it's not rock-solid proof, but there is no proof otherwise! We have a five-year-old bottle and a five-year-old pill to go along with it! Miss Holcomb, if you could tell me where the proof is against Ki—Miss Nomura, that would be greatly appreciated, because I don't see it!"

He could see Kiria's hands coming together in a silent clap under the witness stand.

Holcomb twittered, finally shaking her head. "I have none."

Nathan and Edgeworth both smiled triumphant smiles.

"But you don't have a motive for my client to have poisoned her either," Holcomb came back with a minute later. "As far as I'm concerned, we're at an impasse."

There was a startled noise from the Prosecutor's Bench. Finally, Nathan started spluttering. "That—That's not true! Elias Whitman must have poisoned Kiria Nomura because of her proximity to the Laytonne case!"

"Might I remind you that Mr. Whitman was a mere witness in the case?"

"Objection!"

Eyes gravitated towards the Witness Stand once more.

Kiria was leaning forward, a determined look on her face. "Elias Whitman wasn't a mere witness! He was—"

"Objection!" Holcomb cut her off smoothly. "Anything Miss Nomura says regarding the Laytonne v. State of California case is mere hearsay, and therefore is not admissible in court."

The smile Nathan had been composing slid from his face as he stared incredulously at the Defense Attorney. Meanwhile, Edgeworth had the presence of mind to object. "Objection! It is not just hearsay; Kiria Nomura was the lead Defense Attorney on the case!"

Holcomb shook her head. "But whatever she will say will be unverified. Besides, we have Elias Whitman here with us. If there is any confusion as to his involvement, you are welcome to call him to the stand."

"Your Honor!" Nathan called out, hoping to gain the Judge's favor on this, but the Judge was slowly shaking his head.

"I'm afraid that under the current laws, Miss Holcomb is absolutely right."

Kiria looked devastated. "B—but your Honor!" she protested. "Even if it is hearsay, I am still bound by the laws of perjury!"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Miss Nomura, but I must ask you not to testify in regards to the Laytonne v. State of California case."

Nathan's head spun. He needed to get Kiria's information on the Laytonne case, but without her testimony, what could he do? He tried to walk through what he knew. Hermia Laytonne had asked Lysander Triton to break up with her, and then he had started dating Angela. Then, somehow, Angela had ended up dead.

Color started draining out of his surroundings, until they were reflected in shades of grey. Time seemed to slow down, making every syllable of protest made seem long and drawn out. He felt dizzy, his head too heavy for his body, like a boulder being supported by twigs. Somewhere in the back of his head, he could hear voices, but they seemed fuzzy and unclear.

_". . . Trance State achieved."_

* * *

**A/N: Huge apology to those who have waited for so long for this chapter! D: I didn't mean to take quite this long! Anyways, any guesses on what's going on with Nate? Glad to hear everyone liked the Magatama scene!**

**Warning, this trial sequence is going to be long. I'm not sure I'm going to finish this volume by the end of February (still hoping to, but no guarantees). I'm also hoping to have another chapter up within the next week, so here's a hope!**

**Happy late Valentine's Day, by the way! Hope you all had a swell time!**

**Oh, and a thank you to everyone who's subscribed lately! I'm honored!**

**Blaze: Thank you!**

**Read and Review!**


	38. Turnabout Secrets: Trial 2b

**Chapter Thirty-Seven :: Turnabout Secrets :: Trial :: Day 2 :: Part 2**

Trance State? What was that? Nathan opened his mouth to ask, but he found he couldn't operate his jaw. The rest of his body was just as unresponsive.

He allowed himself a moment of panic. Was this what being poisoned felt like? But how could he have been poisoned? He had brought everything he had consumed. What if they'd been in his apartment? What if it was too late for him, and he was going to succumb like Kiria had been fated to just yesterday? He shivered at the thought that this might be his last stand, his life ended, thread snapped, his eyes closed for the final time.

Okay, he realized he might be acting a bit melodramatically.

It was time to focus. What was causing this? Poison? But as he'd already pointed out, everything that he'd ate and drank he had made himself. There was no possibility that anything he'd consumed had been poisoned.

Time to move on to theory two. What was a Trance State? He remembered his bible studies from childhood: it was a state that brought one closer to God, if he remembered correctly. Was that who was speaking to him in the back of his mind? God? Was he having an out-of-body experience?

It was kind of a lame one, if it was. He could still see the courtroom, albeit in black-and-white. He could hear the conversations, but they had been slowed to an extremely sluggish speed, as if someone had remastered the video and slowed it down.

He eliminated out-of-body experience.

Wait, he was spending quite a large amount of time thinking this over. In a normal instance, he would have lost the trial by now. He wanted to look around, to see a clock and estimate how much time had gone by, but he still couldn't move anything. The voices were a dull roar at the back of his mind, their words all smashed together as to be indistinguishable.

Well, it was the only thing going on. He focused on the words, on the voices, on anything he might recognize.

Maya. One of the voices was her voice, speaking as cheerfully as she normally would have. When he focused on her voice, it seemed like the rest of them fell away, almost as if they had decided they were suddenly FM and he was looking for an AM radio station. He was so focused on that change that he missed the first half of her sentence. _" . . . instead we found Elias Whitman in the photo album. A family photo, no less."_

He puzzled over the words as the rest of the voices came back. She'd said them yesterday, he remembered, when she and Edgeworth had reported back after going to Lysander Triton's home. But what did it mean? He still was missing the motive; what could he have benefited from if Hermia Laytonne had been proclaimed guilty?

He listened again, this time picking up a thread from Franziska's tones. "_How did she know the witness was dead? She's been detained, correct?"_

He racked his brain, trying to remember what she'd been talking about. It wasn't too hard; Franziska hadn't interacted with them the day before. It had to have been the day before, when Hermia had predicted Lysander's death.

The sound byte wasn't done.

_"In the Detention Center the whole time. She hasn't been let out since she was arrested three days ago."_ That was Maya, seemingly in response to Franziska's question. But what had it meant? Obviously, Hermia hadn't been let out of the Detention Center; there had been a mistrial.

A mistrial.

That was what the intended outcome had been. Even if Kiria had ended up dead, the result would still have been a mistrial, not a guilty verdict. Someone needed more time for something, and Kiria Nomura had figured out something that she wasn't supposed to have figured out.

He wanted to put his head in his hands. He had a bunch of puzzle pieces that didn't fit together. The only common thread between them was Elias Whitman, and without Kiria's ability to testify about the case, he was lost.

A lower, scratchier tone stuck out from the rest, and Nathan focused on that one, still trying to put together the pieces. _"Hermia said something that had me confused today. She said that she'd been the one to break up with Lysander. Or more, she'd told him to break up with her. When I tried to ask her why, she clammed up and wouldn't tell me anything. I can force it out of her with evidence, but . . . if we don't have the evidence, we can't find out why. Or what happened."_

Kiria and Elias weren't the only two who knew what had happened. There was one more witness, someone who wouldn't talk. As he realized the potential, the world seemed to right itself, returning to color and normal speed like _The Wizard of Oz_. The voices in the back of his head quieted.

Only the one who had spoken first remained. _"Trance State Completed."_

* * *

The courtroom was still up in arms over the news that Kiria wouldn't be able to testify about the Laytonne case. Edgeworth was trying to reason with the Judge while Holcomb shook her head in disapproval. As he leaned forward on the desk, he tapped Edgeworth's elbow, a sign for him to back down. He had Kiria fixed in his sights, hoping to communicate to her that he'd need her in the next cross-examination. She stared back at him with dark eyes, concern written all over her face at this new development in the case.

"It's going to be alright," he said quietly, knowing she would know what he was saying, even if she couldn't hear him. "Everything will be fine."

She smiled a small smile, nothing large, but enough to let him know she was reassured.

He cleared his throat. "The Prosecution would like to call a witness to ask about possible motives."

The Judge swiveled around to look at him, looking back to Kiria in the next moment. "Miss Nomura, I think you can be dismissed from the court for now."

"Your Honor, I believe it would be helpful if Miss Nomura stayed. The Prosecution would like to call Hermia Laytonne to the stand."

Understandably, chaos broke out over the crowd. Edgeworth hissed, looking incredulously at the lead Prosecutor in confusion. "Have you forgotten she won't talk to us?" he asked, anger written on his face. "You're throwing the case away!"

Nathan shook his head. "I think she'll talk if Kiria's there. Obviously, Kiria knew something that none of the rest of us knew. If I can get them some time alone, just enough for Kiria to convince Miss Laytonne to testify, everything should be fine."

"And if she refuses?"

Nathan shook his head. "She can't plead the fifth forever. Another reason why I want Kiria there; she'll inevitably remind Hermia what refusing to testify implies. We've got to force the testimony out of her."

"And why aren't we just attempting to get it out of Elias Whitman?" It seemed like the logical choice, in all of this.

Nathan shook his head. "Holcomb's got him eating out of the palm of her hand, or the other way around. I don't know which. Since we can't cross-examine him, it's of no use."

The look on Edgeworth's face read as understanding, but not pleased with this twist.

Inside, Nathan was hoping he hadn't just shot their case to smithereens.

* * *

A recess was called as Hermia Laytonne was retrieved from the Detention Center. As everyone filtered from the courtroom, Nathan couldn't help but think about the Trance State again. That had been . . . strange. And what had it meant when it had said it was completed?

He went back over what he knew. It had slowed down time, allowing him to think about the case. But that wasn't all. It had pulled out tidbits of information for him to string together, looking for a common thread between them. He drew imaginary pictures on his leg with his index finger as he thought, trying to figure out what had happened.

"You've been acting strange since this trial started." Edgeworth wasn't asking, and Nathan knew he couldn't escape it by just brushing it off.

He nodded. "Some weird things have happened in this trial."

Edgeworth grunted, the only response he could make to the statement. When Nathan didn't elaborate, he looked over at his younger colleague. "Did something happen in there that I'm not aware of?"

Nathan shrugged, saved by the entrance of the rest of the gallery. "Nathaniel Price, what do you think you are doing?" Franziska shrieked, her face crimson. He stepped back in self-defense, waiting for the whip to hit him. She wasn't done; instead, she walked towards him, and although she was several inches shorter than he was, even with her high-heeled boots on, she seemed much larger in her fury. "Are you _attempting_ to lose the trial?"

He spluttered, terrified of the small woman demanding information.

"I'll admit, it's a strange tactic, calling someone to the stand that refuses to talk to an attorney," Phoenix said, his voice breaking the tension. Franziska stepped back, wheeling around to glare at him. "I'm not saying it's a good tactic," he said to placate her, holding his hands up in a stance of innocence. "Just interesting."

"Where would have you gone from here?" Edgeworth asked. "If you were in Holcomb's spot, that is."

He shook his head. "Honestly, I'm not sure. Her client is obviously guilty; that much she has to know. But she found the weak part of your case, alright. I'd probably have Whitman testify."

"About?"

"The weakest part of your case isn't the motive; it's the fact that no one actually saw him administer the poison. He could circumvent the pressure from him to the barista, claiming it was meant for him."

Franziska crossed her arms, nodding in agreement. "And then it would have put both Kiria Nomura and Hermia Laytonne in a weak position. If the intended target was Elias Whitman, the question of motive comes up. Motive in regards to the Laytonne case is that he was a witness. Lysander ends up dead, he gets poisoned; it would be a great move for the Defense."

"So why isn't she doing it?" Nathan asked in confusion. "I mean, if this is such a great plan—"

Edgeworth shook his head. "Because if it comes out that the barista didn't do it, it's considered perjury, and as the lead Defense Attorney on the case, Holcomb would be charged with falsifying testimony."

Nathan thought back to his law days. "Right. Because you can omit testimony, but you can't change it on purpose, right?"

"Exactly."

He looked around. "Where's Kiria?"

"Obviously you weren't listening when you left. Holcomb demanded the right to question her. They're in questioning right now." Maya giggled, smiling broadly. "When I passed by, Kiria looked calm and Holcomb looked more than ready to strangle her."

"It's hard to question someone who knows their laws. Nomura is no different," Edgeworth explained.

"What about Tessa and Mariko?" Nathan questioned.

"They're waiting for her to get out of questioning. Speaking of Mariko, has anyone seen Yoshiya today?" Phoenix asked. "I'd expected him to be here for the trial."

There was a collective shaking of heads. "I'll call him," Franziska volunteered, already getting out her Cranberry. After a long moment, she sighed, a frown on her thin features. "He's not answering."

No one wanted to voice the concern echoing in their heads.

Luckily, they didn't have to ask. A distraction appeared in the form of a furious Arielle Holcomb storming out of the interrogation room, followed by a smiling Kiria. The latter walked up to them, Tessa and Mariko flanking her. "I guess she didn't like my testimony," she quipped, an innocent expression on her face.

Edgeworth chuckled. Nathan merely patted her on the back, proud of his best friend. "How many questions?" Lang asked, sounding amused.

Kiria looked up. "Well, there was the one about the coffee I'd drank, and then another one about what I believed my status in relation to Rydeine was, and I think she gave up when I couldn't truthfully answer what Elias Whitman's role was in the Laytonne trial. So, three." She laughed at her own antics. "Honestly, what did she think she was going to get out of me after she forbid me to talk about the case?"

Nathan cleared his throat. "Well, you might not be able to talk about the case, but do you want to drop any clues?" he hinted, hoping she'd take it.

She looked down, her expression deep and thoughtful. After a minute, she nodded. "Search for Elias Whitman. Who he is, I mean. I had the file in my evidence, but . . ."

Nathan looked around for his bag. He'd been given all of the case files before they'd went to talk with Hermia Laytonne. To tell the truth, he hadn't really looked at them, more interested in the evidence, but if she said there was something interesting, he'd look. After a few long moments, he pulled out the file. The police tape still bound it closed, proof of its unread status. After breaking the seal, he opened up the file, surprised when a pile of newspaper clippings fell out. Kiria's handwriting was all over the folder, some in Japanese (he assumed for the privacy rather than the inability to translate), some in English. He looked up to ask her, but found that she had walked away to talk with Mariko, their conversation floating to him in short bits of English mixed with an unintelligible rush of vowels and consonants.

"What's all of this?" Edgeworth asked. He'd moved to pick up the fallen clippings, holding them in his hand as he peered at the small print.

Nathan looked over the folder to stare at them in confusion. To tell the truth, he didn't know what they were either. The headlines were no help: "_Interpol Wasting Its Time_," read the first one in bold print. The next few were just as vague, and Nathan didn't feel like reading them all. He sighed, having half of a mind to give up, before picking up the next one.

"_Kronos is a Lie_," was all it said. The article wasn't included, but the clipped portion did give an author. "By Elias Whitman?" Nathan said loudly, surprised.

"So is this one," Edgeworth said in a much quieter voice.

Franziska picked up another. "And this one. Why are all of these in here?"

"Are they all related to _Kronos_?" Nathan asked, digging through them to attempt to find one that wasn't talking about Interpol or the international crime group. On each of them that were, there was pencil scribbling on the side, symbols barring their comprehension.

Lang shook his head. "Doesn't look like it. Damn, _Kronos _is involved?"

Nathan looked over at the Agent. "You know about _Kronos_?"

"To work at Interpol, you _have_ to know about _Kronos_," he said with a barking laugh. "It looks like Nomura was a good three steps ahead of us this time."

"You think he's working with them?" Edgeworth asked, his blood having turned icy. There was a constriction in his chest that he didn't like, and it had nothing to do with Kiria Nomura this time. They were going after him this time; it was their lives on the line, not just hers. He hated the fear that coursed through him, felt even more anger at the relief he felt when he realized she was the only one on the radar at the moment. It was cowardly, and cowardice was hardly a gentlemanly trait.

Lang shrugged. "If the evidence points to it . . ." he said, his voice trailing off for implicature.

"Fool." Franziska's voice was as hard as violent as the whip she possessed. "Jumping to conclusions will only lead to a harder situation to get out of." She looked around. "Where is that goddamned Phoenix Wright when I need him?"

Phoenix had indeed disappeared, along with Maya. "Ten bucks says it's for food," Nathan volunteered, remembering Maya's seemingly endless hunger.

Edgeworth couldn't help but grin, and even one corner of Franziska's mouth quirked up in amusement. She quickly righted her expression, pulling on her whip. "Focus, Nathaniel Price!" she demanded. "Is there any proof for Elias Whitman to be part of _Kronos_?"

He looked through the evidence, shaking his head.

"Court is getting ready to reconvene. Please reenter the courtroom," the bailiff informed the room from his post at the door. Nathan sighed, shaking his head in irritation at the lack of time to prepare. This was a new bombshell that had been dropped on them, and he needed another day if he was going to get to the bottom of this.

* * *

"Court has reconvened for the trial of Whitman v. the State of California," the Judge announced. He tilted his head towards the right side of the courtroom, his eyes locking on Nathan's. "I'll allow the Prosecution to take over the proceedings."

"Thank you, Your Honor," Nathan said, attempting a small half-bow. "Before the recess, the Prosecution had called Hermia Laytonne to the stand. So, please, Miss Laytonne, if you would?"

* * *

Hermia Laytonne looked murderously angry. Her dark eyes bored holes into Nathan's skull, hateful expression seemingly etched on her face permanently. She didn't waver even when he cleared his throat and smiled appealingly.

Oh, this was bad. An angry witness was a bad sign, and Hermia Laytonne could be holding up the white flag for their case if she still refused. He looked across the courtroom at Kiria, who sat in a designated chair. As Hermia was still her client, she could object if she believed questioning was going too far. Nathan hoped to use her as a bargaining chip, although he knew that the next few proceedings wouldn't make her happy. In fact, he was already planning a trip to that little bakery she liked as damage control, because she was going to get really angry in the next five minutes.

"Witness, please state your name and occupation."

"I'm not a witness."

He sighed. "You're a witness. Now, Miss Laytonne, please answer the question."

"I'm not testifying."

Kiria stood. "Why not?" she asked. "You haven't even been given a topic yet," she appealed.

Hermia's expression softened as it passed over her attorney's form, but she still shook her head. "They can't know."

"Hermia, you _have_ to tell them. I can't tell them. But you know, and you can. Please, just one cross-examination!"

"Objection!" Holcomb tossed lazily. "Obviously, the witness does not wish to testify, and cannot be forced to do so, under the fifth amendment."

The Judge nodded, looking sympathetic. "Indeed, the Defense is right. Miss Laytonne, are you pleading the fifth amendment?"

"Objection!" Edgeworth leaned forward, finger extended. "The fifth amendment, or the right to refuse testimony, is a measure against self-incrimination. This implies that testimony must be requested. The Prosecution has simply asked for the witness's name and occupation, which is invalid to plead the fifth against!"

The Judge reconsidered. "Mr. Edgeworth is completely right. Witness, you are obligated to tell the truth until asked to give testimony. Please answer the Prosecution's question."

Hermia looked murderous now. Kiria had her hands laced together, watching the proceedings with a nervous expression on her face. "Hermia Laytonne. Pathologist."

"Thank you," Nathan said, tilting his head in acknowledgement. "Now, Miss Laytonne, I realize that you don't want to testify, but what I'm about to ask you has nothing to do with anything you could incriminate yourself with. Okay?"

She stared him down, not saying anything.

"What was your relationship to Elias Whitman?"

She still didn't say anything.

Kiria cleared her throat to draw attention to her. "Hermia, it won't hurt you. Answering that question will be just fine. They won't find out what you're afraid of, I promise." Her voice was soothing, similar to the tone one would take with a child afraid of the dark.

The woman didn't look convinced. "I . . . I don't think it's far enough away from it."

"We're at an impasse," Holcomb announced, looking bored. "The witness won't testify. The Defense requests Elias Whitman be brought to the stand instead."

"I could do it . . ." Hermia finally said. "But I don't want to be alone."

Nathan leaned forward. "You'll testify?"

Hermia looked over at Kiria. "If Miss Nomura is with me, I suppose I could try it."

There was little question of what to do. Kiria almost leaped from her seat in her haste to stand by her client on the witness stand. The proximity of the lawyer seemed to calm Hermia down, and the witness took a deep breath before looking around the room. "I know Elias Whitman through Lysander."

"Triton?" Nathan clarified.

Hermia nodded. "Yes, Lysander Triton. He and I were dating. Mr. Whitman is—was—" she paused momentarily as she stumbled over the tense to describe her now dead ex-boyfriend, "—was Lysander's uncle."

"Why was he brought as a witness to testify against you in the Laytonne v. State of California trial?" Nathan pressed, hoping that she'd answer the question.

Hermia looked over at Kiria, stopping when she saw her lawyer. The woman, although she looked normal on the outside, was trembling, her fingers tapping out a nearly-silent cadence. From as close as she was, she could see a light sheen of sweat adorning her face, a nervous expression in her eyes. She reached over, taking one cold hand in hers, hoping to bestow strength onto the woman who had previously believed so much in her. It was only appropriate to give that same support, especially since the woman had just bounced back from a poisoning. "He claimed he had seen me kill my sister."

He couldn't ask the obvious question without raising an objection from Holcomb, so Nathan instead moved on. "Did you observe any negative feelings towards Miss Nomura during the trial?"

Hermia shook her head, dark curls bouncing. "No. Not at all."

He crossed his arms over his chest, trying to figure out the question he wanted to ask next. Of course he wanted to ask about the Laytonne case, but what could he ask without raising hell from the Defense?

He took a deep breath, gearing up for battle. "Miss Laytonne, the Prosecution requests that you testify about Lysander Triton's death."

"Objection! What does this have to do with the current case?" Holcomb asked, but it was useless. Hermia had already clammed up, which was exactly what he'd _not _wanted her to do. Her jaw was set again, staring at him with the same rebellion she'd exhibited earlier.

"I plead the fifth amendment."

He waited for Kiria to plead with her, but she didn't. Looking at her again, he realized she was rather pale, and immediately felt bad. She was still battling with exhaustion. Court took a lot out of anyone on a normal day, but the way she was now, hoping he caught on to the case she'd laid before him and catching every fastball he threw, she must have felt like slug inching along on hot pavement. He took over, giving her a chance to recover. "Miss Laytonne, pleading the fifth implies a degree of guilt. Are you guilty for what happened to Lysander Triton?"

She looked uneasy.

"She's not answering because she's guilty of my nephew's death, of course." It was the first time Nathan had ever heard Elias Whitman speak, and he couldn't stop the shiver that darted down his spine. "If you let me testify, I'll tell you all about it. I'll even tell you how I didn't poison Miss Nomura right there."

Nathan proceeded to plead silently with his eyes to the unresponsive witness. Holcomb was getting angrier by the second. "The Prosecution has been attempting to keep my client from testifying this whole trial, which is unconstitutional and illegal. The Defense requests testimony from Elias Whitman."

The Judge looked at all of them for a long moment. He'd been quiet, listening to all of the proceedings with a careful ear. But as he looked at Hermia Laytonne, he could tell they weren't going to get much out of her. "If Miss Laytonne refuses to testify, then Mr. Whitman will take the stand," he finally compromises. "Are you finished testifying, Miss Laytonne?"

Hermia nodded curtly. "Yes, your Honor."

"Then you are dismissed as a witness. Elias Whitman, you may take the stand."

Nathan exchanged glances with Edgeworth. This wasn't going so well. In fact, so far, this trial had been a complete nightmare. They'd extracted very little information from Hermia, and they didn't expect to gleam much from Whitman either. Nathan took the chance to rub his eyes with his palms as the witnesses changed seats.

Two things happened simultaneously. Whitman walked to the Witness Stand just as Kiria stumbled over the steps descending from it. He caught her arm as she fell, and while she stayed on her feet, her face went a very pale shade of ivory.

Nathan launched himself over the desk as chaos broke out. The gallery was shouting, he was shouting, Lang had stood up and was saying something, but it was like they were all trapped in a glass house, and the sound reverberated back into the room, making him impossible to understand.

"ORDER!" the Judge said, having to bellow it over the deafening din. "ORDER IN THE COURT!" By this point, Nathan had taken his best friend from the villain's grasps, and he could feel her tremble under his hands, shaking like there was an earthquake originating from her insides, affecting only her.

The noise in the court abruptly stopped.

"Mr. Whitman, please take the stand. Mr. Price—"

Edgeworth cleared his throat. "Your Honor, if I may, I will take Miss Nomura out and make sure she is alright before she returns to the courtroom?" he volunteered before Nathan could. "You need to be in here," he hissed at the Lead Prosecutor, making the exchange of one tiny, pale Asian Attorney. "You need to hear Whitman's testimony more than I do. I'll make sure she's taken care of." With one hand on her waist and another clasped in a cold, clammy hand, he led her out of the courtroom.

* * *

They made it as far as the lobby. Her knees finally gave out, and he hoisted her over to a couch, allowing her to sit for a moment. She hid her face in her hands, taking giant, gulping breaths. Edgeworth lowered himself down next to her, his hand brushing aside her bangs to take her temperature. She was warm to the touch, and sweat was beginning to bead up around her temples.

"I'm sorry," she finally apologized, sitting back up. "I'm such a mess right now."

He shook his head. "Nothing to apologize for. What did he say?"

"Nothing," she lied, but the lie was obvious, written all over her face.

"Did it scare you?"

Even in her state, she couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow. "Mr. Edgeworth, I deal with murderers, thieves, and mob bosses in my normal life. If I broke down every time one of them touched me, I'd always be like this."

"None of them have poisoned you. This man has."

She shook her head. "It's not that. I'm not frightened." She knew she should have just passed it off as fright, should have pretended, but it was almost like her pride would have been wounded if she had.

He saw through her too easily. "It's not about this, is it?" Everything suddenly lined up in his mind, and it was eye-opening. "It's withdrawal," he finally said, his voice quiet and gentle. Just like she had been with Hermia Laytonne.

She looked down, nodding. She was still shaking; no matter what, she couldn't seem to stop, and they ravaged her whole body, leaving nothing undisturbed. "Yeah," she said, unable to hide it any longer. She'd always assumed that if she'd fallen back on the habit, she'd end up with worse withdrawal than she'd went through the first time. Her body craved the drug like it craved oxygen. It was like they were mutually compatible, and having one without the other was ridiculous, unthinkable. "Yeah, it's withdrawal."

"Do you want me to get Tessa?" The question surprised her, just as the kindness in his tone. She'd expected him of all people to push her away and decry her weakness, and yet, here he was, offering to get her help.

She shook her head. "No. I don't . . . want her to know."

"You realize she'll know eventually, right?"

She nodded. "Eventually. But not yet."

"What can I do for you?"

This felt oddly intimate, he realized, as she was stripped past the intellectual he was used to and instead preoccupied with the most basic needs. He was willing to do whatever she needed him to do, if it would help her out. When had he become such a softie? Just a few years ago, he would have walked away.

Just a few years ago, he would have never socialized with Kiria Nomura.

She coughed lightly into her hand, and he brought his attention back. "Just some water would be nice." A particularly violent shudder ripped through her, making her jolt suddenly and wrap her arms around her middle, a vulnerable look if he'd ever seen one. He stripped his jacket off, wrapping it around her shoulders as he ran for the nearest vending machine to find a bottle of water.

* * *

**A/N: I know I promised a week . . . it's been a little more. So sorry, but it's a longer chapter than most? Does that make up for it?**

**So, Trance State! Still pretty much a mystery, but it's really not much more than the psychological definition. It'll play more out in the story, promise.**

**Haha, and I'm not going to make that end of February deadline. It's just not going to happen. Between midterms and turning 19 (oh no, I'm getting old!), the fanfiction got lost under all of the piles. D: So, instead, we're shooting for the end of March! That sounds better right now. xD**

**I think—unless anyone protests—that I'm going to go back to answering comments this way rather than PMs. While it gave me some ability to chat with you all, it just was a little too much work. If you want to talk, just send me a PM, and we can talk all you'd like! c:**

**Comments:**

**Zan: Welcome to the story! Haha, or welcome to commenting! D I'm so glad you like it! I hope to hear from you more as the story goes on!**

**Blaze: Oh, I know that feeling. D: It's hard to sit down and write these days. I just don't seem to have as much time! Especially with midterms going around again. Spring Break is coming up soon (at least for me, it is!), so hopefully I'll have time to wrap it up then!**

**KnightofDestiny: I always look forward to your reviews now, do you know that? c: If only because it's a giant boost to my ego! Haha, thank you so much. I think Franziska should be as deep as every other character, and I'm glad you agree. Ah, I did hear about GS5 (and meant to comment about it last chapter, but forgot!). I don't know that I'm a big advocate for bringing GK2 to the states though; I wasn't really much of a fan of GK1 (I think it's because I'm not fond of Kay), and from what I've heard a lot of, it's got a lot of cultural elements to the story that most people in the states don't know much about. I guess the last reason for not being too worried is that I can buy it and play it in the States and understand it; the upside to knowing Japanese and that recent DS games are devoid of region locking. :D [Okay, nerd time over!]**

**Kaitlintheowl: Awwww, thank you! I try to put the characters first, so any of that admiration should really go to them. I just play with them and put them back later. Haha, I hope to finish it someday too! The last volume is actually almost written completely out (2-6 aren't, but 7 is!), so I'm planning on finishing it, believe me! I hope you keep reviewing, and keep enjoying this story as much as I enjoy writing it!**

**Read and Review?**


	39. Turnabout Secrets: Trial 2c

**Chapter Thirty-Eight :: Turnabout Secrets :: Trial :: Day 2 :: Part 3**

"Please state your name and occupation for the court." Nathan tried to keep his tone civil, but it was proving to be impossible. First he'd poisoned Kiria, and now he was getting to testify when he shouldn't have been able to. He hadn't been asked to, certainly, but of course, he'd capitalized on the situation with Hermia Laytonne. Whatever Elias Whitman had to do with Hermia Laytonne, he had a good idea that it had originated with Lysander Triton.

Whitman's smile seemed to grow bigger and bigger as the moments passed. "Elias Whitman. I'm a speech therapist." Everything seemed overly enunciated, as if he were speaking to children rather than attorneys. If Edgeworth had been in the courtroom, Nathan might have acted on the urge to punch this guy in the nose. As it was, with Edgeworth in the lobby with Kiria, he couldn't do that for risk of a mistrial. Which, he reminded himself, had been part of the need for the poisoning.

Oh, the irony.

He stared at Holcomb. "What would you like me to ask him?"

"I'd suggest starting with why he didn't poison Miss Nomura." The smirk on her face was just as infuriating. Damn, if this didn't stop soon, he was going to need to blow off some steam by smacking the desk every time he asked a question.

He barely restrained from rolling his eyes. "Mr. Whitman, what reason can you give that you did not poison Miss Nomura?"

Whitman seemed unconcerned by the sarcasm coating the Prosecution's tone. "Well, first of all, I don't have anything against Miss Nomura. Why anyone would ever believe I had a motive to poison her, I just can't imagine."

Nathan had the sudden urge to thrust Whitman's file in front of his face, but without knowing what Kiria had written, it was a tossup. He sat back, waiting for more testimony.

"Secondly, it's a very fishy coincidence that the drug Miss Nomura was addicted to just so happened to be derived from the poison that she was addicted to. But I wouldn't have known what drug; after all, I didn't know Miss Nomura before the trial, and I would guess that it wasn't something she candidly talked about."

Nathan kept reminding himself that he had no solid proof.

"And finally, it's not like the trial was overly important. It wasn't being televised or anything, and it seemed pretty open-and-shut to me."

Nathan opened his mouth to object before catching Holcomb's eye. He was a Prosecutor; it was her job to cross-examine the witness, not his. He shut his mouth, grinding his teeth together and waiting for the perfect moment to pounce.

The Judge nodded towards her. "Your cross-examination, Miss Holcomb?"

"Thank you, your Honor." She gave a nod of reference towards him before turning to her client. "Are you sure there's nothing that could be construed as hatred towards Miss Nomura? Absolutely anything?" she asked.

He shook his head in a practiced manner. "Nothing. I really don't know what I could have done that would justify that."

She nodded, satisfied with his answer. "And you knew nothing about Miss Nomura's drug addiction before the trial, correct?"

"Objection!" Nathan threw out, finally past his self-restraint. "Miss Holcomb, you are asking questions that cannot be verified in the court. Can we stick to the evidence, please?" he asked in a mocking tone.

"Would the Prosecution please refrain from catty comments?" she requested, glaring at him.

_'When you do, I will,'_ he wanted to say, but remembered that someone had to be the adult in this situation. "The Prosecution asks for the cross-examination to continue."

She made a very feminine noise of indignation before turning back to Whitman. "Now, you said that the trial wasn't overly important. What do you believe the point of poisoning Miss Nomura was?"

"Objection!" he shouted. "This is pure conjecture!"

She looked at him coolly. "And what would you like to ask him, Mr. Price?"

* * *

"Don't tell him."

Edgeworth looked down next to him, his eyes zeroing on hands that shook even as they held onto the water bottle he'd bought. Shivers still racked her body, not lessening any with the addition of water. He could feel one occasionally, even though they weren't sitting close enough to touch, when a spasm really hit her hard. Sitting on the bench next to her was like sitting on a sailboat in a storm. He could feel each and every movement, only fueling his concern. She'd told him to go back in and help Nathan earlier, but he had refused, not willing to leave her alone.

"Price?"

"Yeah. Don't tell him I'm going through withdrawals."

"He'd want to know."

She shook her head, eyes downcast. "He'll just worry, and he's got enough to worry about already. He can't do anything to help, so I don't want him getting all worked up about this."

Edgeworth stayed silent, thinking it over.

She took his silence as disapproval. "_Please_." She looked up at him with round dark eyes, desperation making them larger. "I'll tell him eventually, I promise. After the trial. But not before it's over."

He nodded. "I'll stay silent. But the minute the trial is over, you have to tell him. Do we have a deal?"

She smiled, and although it was out of relief and hardly stemming from the most moral decision, he felt better. She was going to be alright. "Deal," she said quietly, taking another swig of water from the mostly-empty bottle. She leaned back, closing her eyes and relaxing against the back of the couch with a sigh.

"You need rest," he said after a long moment.

She nodded, not opening her eyes. Despite the fact that her body was jittering like she had drank twelve shots of espresso, her eyelids felt heavy and her mind exhausted. "I'll sleep in a little bit."

"What did Whitman say to you?" he asked again, this time hoping for a real answer.

She took a deep breath and expelled it. "He knew. I don't remember exactly what he said, but it was something like, 'if you were up there for a moment longer, you'd be shaking right out of that chair.' Something like that, anyways."

Edgeworth said something under his breath, although she wasn't listening hard enough to catch it. She let it pass, placing the water bottle to the side and folding her hands together in her lap. "I think I'll try to sleep now," she announced, as casually as if they'd been talking about the weather.

He nodded, propping his elbow on the arm of the couch and resting his head against his hand. Nathaniel Price might be fighting a battle inside of the courtroom, but he had plenty of people to watch for his success. Out here, Kiria Nomura had no one, and he wasn't about to walk out and leave her alone.

Especially not if this _had_ been the work of _Kronos_. No, he was going to sit out here and watch her until someone else took over. This wasn't a matter of kindness anymore; this was a life or death situation.

* * *

Nathan pulled on the lapels of his suit as he straightened, resolved to do this right. It was time to get his hands dirty, and if the Defense wasn't going to help him, he was going to have to drag out some ugly testimony on his own. "Mr. Whitman, what was your relationship to the Laytonne case?"

"I believe we've already heard this!" Holcomb started to protest.

Nathan shook his head. "This is merely an introductory question, Miss Holcomb. Something to get us all on the same page."

"I don't see what relevance the Laytonne case has to my client, Mr. Price!"

He slammed his hands on the desk, fed up with her protests. "Miss Nomura was poisoned during the Laytonne case and your client just so happened to be a witness! If you can't see the relevance, then I'm afraid I can't help you there!"

She shut up.

A moment of silence elapsed before Whitman cleared his throat. "Ah, I guess I should answer the question. I was a witness."

"And what exactly did you witness?" Nathan pressed.

"I saw Hermia Laytonne in the act of killing her sister."

Nathan crossed his arms over his chest. "So you were a key witness then?"

"I suppose you could call me that."

"A yes or no answer, Mr. Whitman, if you would."

Whitman's eyes shifted around, once to the Prosecutor, and then once to his attorney before returning to the Judge. "Yes."

"Would you mind retelling your testimony to the court?"

"I can hardly see the point," Arielle Holcomb interrupted. She leaned against the desk, her eyes two blue pinpoints showing dissatisfaction. "Whatever my client said in the courtroom is irrelevant, and if you'd like more information on the Laytonne case, he will be available for questioning later." She smiled, a joyless movement on her thin lips.

"I will have to side with the Defense on this one, Mr. Price."

Nathan nodded, not out of tricks yet. "And what about your allegations about Mr. Lysander Triton? Earlier, you said that Miss Laytonne was responsible for his death. Would you mind giving testimony on this?"

"If it will help the court, I certainly will." He tilted his head, as if he were trying to remember. "A few weeks ago, Lysander had contacted me about something Miss Laytonne had told him. He said he couldn't tell me what, but that it was bad news, and that things were going to be changing quickly. He wanted to know if I could keep an eye on her, and that he was worried about her." He shrugged. "The conversation is recorded on my cell phone. I told him that I would and that I wanted him to be careful." He shook his head regretfully. "I knew he was fond of her, but I didn't anticipate that he would give his life for her."

Holcomb's face had been carefully composed, and she looked like she was actually thinking for the first time during this testimony. Her client or not, she had to cross-examine him carefully, and if she didn't, Nathan would happily take over and ask the difficult questions.

"Miss Holcomb," the Judge nodded, implying it was time for her to begin.

"Thank you, your Honor." She turned towards Whitman, her expression neutral. "So Mr. Triton never told you what he was worried about?"

Whitman shook his head. "No, unfortunately not. I wish he had; maybe I could have helped him out."

"Why couldn't Mr. Triton keep an eye on Miss Laytonne himself? I mean, you said he was quite fond of her."

"They'd broken up. No, Mr. Price, I don't know why," he said coolly before Nathan could ask.

Nathan cursed under his breath. He was out of questions, and Whitman was lobbing fastballs as quickly as he could. "Your Honor, the Prosecution requests that the trial be extended another day. There are still obviously quite a few questions everyone has, and the answers can be found with a bit more investigation."

Holcomb didn't object.

The Judge looked between them. "I'll agree, there do seem to be a lot of loose ends. I am not yet convinced of Mr. Whitman's innocence, and yet, his guilt is just as unclear. I'll extend the trial one more day. Tomorrow will be the final day; no evidence will be presented after my verdict is given tomorrow." He hit the gavel against the block before rising. "Mr. Price, please extend my apologies to Miss Nomura. She doesn't seem to be feeling well yet, so I do regret dragging her all the way out to the courthouse to give testimony."

He nodded, concerned for her health himself. "I'll make sure to pass that along. Thank you, your Honor."

The Judge smiled kindly before disappearing into his chambers.

* * *

Kiria had shifted closer as she'd slept, but he hadn't had the heart to wake her up, especially since while she was asleep, the shaking had stopped. Her head lolled against his shoulder as he attempted to right a piece of her hair that had folded strangely and was now poking him in the face. With only one arm available, it was proving to be quite the task.

The courtroom doors opened abruptly, and like normal, the defendant was the first to be led out. Edgeworth had to work to make his face as smooth and emotionless as possible. Normally apathy wasn't hard for him, but like everyone else, this trial had scrambled his emotions and expressions until they were gone, and now he was stuck trying to make new ones from the old templates—similar, but not authentic. Whitman's eyes alighted on the duo on the couch, and for a long moment, he had an indulgent smile on his face, as if he were two steps away from making more mischief, but it vanished in the next second and it was irrelevant anyways. Facial expressions were not admissible as evidence in court.

The attorneys were next, and Holcomb and Nathan were debating about something in quiet voices before she nodded and walked the other direction. He came to stand by his co-council and victim, putting a smile on his face. "We got another day. How's she doing?" he asked, inclining his head towards her.

"Exhausted. It's to be expected." As he'd promised, he made no hint towards her drug withdrawal.

Nathan nodded, a smile replacing his features. "Good. I was starting to get worried; even the Judge made a comment by the end of the trial."

"She held up well, all things considered." Again, no hints, but there was still the deeper understanding of what she'd actually went through, and how she was really feeling by the end of the trial.

"Yeah." Nathan couldn't help but feel impressed.

Franziska, predictably, came barging through first from the gallery, brandishing her whip. "Nathaniel Price!" she said, cracking it. "Why didn't you throw suspicion on the defendant with _Kronos_?"

"Oh! Right!" To tell the truth, he'd forgotten all about it after the first comment, but he shook his head anyways. "It wasn't the right time. We don't have any proof; Kiria can't translate for us as she is."

Mariko had already seated herself next to her younger sister and proceeded to fuss over her before Tessa cut her off. "It's not right to wake her up; I'm sure we can carry her into the car." The young nurse smiled at Nathan. "You did an admirable job. I don't know much about court, but I was impressed."

Lang snorted, and Franziska rolled her eyes in agreement. "It was a pathetic excuse for a Prosecution, and will not be tolerated." She shook her head, cracking her whip again. "I hope that tomorrow's Prosecution is three times what this one was!"

Nathan grimaced. Phoenix nodded at him. "It's one of those days," he said, although whether he was merely stating it or saying it to make Nathan feel better, he wasn't sure. "Some days you go into court and realize you're not ready. It's all about surviving."

"Yeah!" Maya said cheerfully. "At least you survived another day!"

"Take what comes," Edgeworth advised. "Now, what do we need to investigate?"

"_Kronos_'s involvement in the Laytonne case, most of the Laytonne case itself, and whether or not Whitman was actually in _Kronos__. _We need something decisive."

"What about Kiria's notes?" Maya asked, having been informed of the evidence during the trial.

"I can't read them. Unless you know Japanese—"

Mariko cleared her throat. "I may not be either of my siblings, but I speak and read it just as well as they do." She quirked a smile. "If you need something, I'm willing to help."

"Really?" Nathan started shuffling through his bag excitedly. "Here." He handed her the file, and she accepted it gracefully.

"I'll check my translation with Yoshiya before I give it to you; it'll be a few hours at the most."

Lang frowned. "Speaking of Yoshiya, where is he?"

"He said something about checking something, but he didn't tell me a lot more than that. He sounded like he'd just figured something out. Kind of out-of-breath, ne?"

Nathan frowned. "Wonder what he's doing?"

Phoenix cleared his throat. "Your agenda is good and all, but it's missing something."

"What?" Nathan couldn't help that he snapped back, almost in irritation, at the man who had unseated his confidence just the day before.

Lang nodded, having caught on to the train of thought Phoenix was taking. "Where'd the poison come from?"

Nathan blinked, obviously taken off-guard. "But if we find out who did it, does it matter?"

"Fool!" Franziska said, this time losing her patience enough to strike him with her weapon. "Do not discount any unknown until you're sure that you can't use it in your case!"

He put his hands up in surrender. "Okay, we'll check that too!"

"Good." Edgeworth nodded, shifting slightly. The girl sleeping at his side shifted with him, but still slumbered.

"Ah! I'll take her!" Nathan volunteered, leaning over to lift her.

Edgeworth shook his head, remembering the promise he'd made and realizing that if she woke, she was liable to start trembling like she had earlier. "I can do it. You need to start your investigation." Carefully, hoping she wouldn't wake, he pivoted so he could hook his arm under her knees and cradle her against his chest. She shifted and mumbled something, but didn't open her eyes. He felt her relax back against him after a short moment, and he let out the breath he'd been holding. "Shall we take her to the car?"

Tessa nodded enthusiastically. "Of course!"

He turned to Nathan. "I'll call you once we've got her settled." With that, he followed Tessa and Mariko out to the parking lot.

Nathan turned to the remaining group of Lang, Franziska, Phoenix, and Maya. "Okay, we need to split up."

"I'll talk to Miss Laytonne again," Phoenix volunteered.

Nathan nodded curtly. "Agent Lang, you've been in charge of evidence so far, correct?"

"With Von Karma here, yep." He nodded in her direction, and she scowled back at him.

"Do you think you can find where the Rydientrol came from?"

Franziska clutched at her sleeves. "I've already been looking at it."

"Then both of you can look at it." Nathan looked at Maya, trying to decide what the most important piece was to look into. There weren't enough people, but if Lang and Franziska could find the source of the Rydientrol quickly, then they could be put to another task. "Maya, you and I will find the Laytonne evidence and go from there. Sound good, everyone?"

There was a general agreement from each of them, although Franziska looked less than pleased about the arrangement. He threw his bag over his shoulder and nodded to Maya. "Let's get going."

* * *

**A/N: Great chapter? Not really. Writer's block hit me like a freight train, and then it was like my brain was stuck in Antarctica for a week and froze to death. Seriously, not the best chapter writing I've ever done. And I'd wait to publish it, except that I have this childish need to publish something on Leap Day. So, this is what came out.**

**On the other hand, I have the best reviewers ever. Within 24 hours of the last chapter being up, I had 5 reviews waiting in my inbox. Stuff like that motivates me to write. So, thank you guys! You're the best reviewers EVER. **

**Comments!**

**Zorua: Welcome back! Oh, I'd love the link; I had a link, but I lost it when I switched computers. So if you could send it to me, that would be wonderful. I'd like to do a full-scale project, but the fanfiction comes first. But, hopefully, someday, there will be a playable version of this fanfic. **

**Blaze: Thank you, my dear! Midterms went wonderfully. This chapter is a bit heavier than the last one, I think, and without the jokes at Maya's expense. But, I hope you still like it.**

**Psykit: Noooo, you don't get Volume 7 early! Haha, you might love a good spoiler, but that's like reading the last page of a book before you read the rest of the novel! There's a lot that you wouldn't understand from this volume (believe it or not, this is like the prequel to everything that's going to happen), so it's better that you just wait and see. Oh, I'm glad you like the Trance State! I was a bit on the fence on what to make it like, so I'm glad it went over well. Oh, you'd like romance, would you? We'll see what we can do eventually. xD Eh, I was never a Franziska/Edgeworth shipper. For some reason, I love Larry/Franziska (heads up now, that's not what's going to happen in this fic; I just don't know how I'd fit it in). Their banter back and forth was just so fun! But hey, I'm converting!**

**Knightofdestiny: It wasn't that I didn't like GK1, I just found it was the weakest of the games. They made everything so obvious before it was presented; Shih-Na and Lang were really the two reasons why I continued the game. Well, that, and young Franziska. So cute! Ah, I turned 19 on the 19th (only year it'll be ironic). I keep hearing that everyone's surprised by my age though; I suppose I should take it as a compliment!**

**Kaitlintheowl: Haha, you're the second one who's pointed out the PL references. D I'm a huge fan of the games. Especially Unwound Future. It made me cry! I have not played Ghost Trick yet; when I move back into my house for the summer, I'm getting it for my iPad. xD I live in a pretty small town, so it's hard to find games sometimes; there just seems to be the same recycled ones over and over. I had to buy PW:AA over the internet because I couldn't find it in my town. I haven't read Homestuck either, but I've heard it's awesome. I'm a Hetalia fan; I cosplay America for fun. I only mention that because people often equate the two for some reason.**

**Read and Review!**


	40. Turnabout Secrets: Investigation 3a

**Chapter Thirty-Nine :: Turnabout Secrets :: Investigation :: Day 3 :: Part 1**

Franziska wasn't happy about having to work with Lang. During the trial, they could sit in silence, occasionally passing opinions back and forth without having to touch their less-than-companionable parting the day before. In order to work together effectively, however, she knew they had to get the elephant out of the room. She escorted him to her car perfunctorily, not speaking to him at all.

He waited until she had slid into the front seat and started the car before speaking. "You said that you'd been investigating the origins of the drug."

She nodded curtly. "I did so yesterday, but I can't say I got far."

"You left before receiving the composition. With the specific composition, it should be easier." His voice contained no traces of humor, nor did he sound irritated with her. He kept his eyes focused on the windshield, and it was giving her mixed signals. Was he angry with her for storming off yesterday? Did he sincerely not care? She tightened her grip on the wheel and forced herself to concentrate on backing out of the parking lot. Driving had never been an especially strong suit of hers, but she was able, if nothing else.

She swallowed, getting onto the main road before replying. "And how do you propose we use the composition?"

"It's simple, really. We can find the manufacturer using the composition. If we follow the trail the drug made, we can probably find out where it originated from."

She glanced over at him skeptically. "Ah yes, because I'm sure our culprit picked it up right next to the glass cleaner. It's more likely to be illegally distributed."

"And I'm Interpol, so we can put some pressure on them." He put his sunglasses on, settling into the leather seat. "It'll go over fine."

She didn't miss the lack of the normal endearment, but still didn't say anything. If he was going to get passive-aggressive on her, she could do the same back. She didn't respond, preferring to focus on the road rather than his theories.

The rest of the trip was made in silence, neither of them daring to break it. There was a strange camaraderie in silence, almost like they could continue to work together as long as there was silence. She was starting to regret the way she'd stormed out the day before. Lang was a good ally, and she had jeopardized their working relationship in fury.

Her father wouldn't have done something so foolish.

The thought made her stomp on the brake as she waited for another fool to back out of the parking spot she was getting ready to angle into. Her heel dug into the floor as she continued to wait, the pressure beginning to hurt her foot. But hadn't pain always been the way she'd dealt with things? If she was in pain, she'd inflict it on others. If she couldn't inflict it on others, she'd inflict it upon herself. Such a vicious cycle was normal, wasn't it? She ignored the sensation tingling in her ankle and maneuvered the car into the parking spot. Lang exited the car without a word, and she followed suit.

* * *

Kiria was checked back into the hospital in under an hour. She'd slept through a good amount of it, but now she was awake, staring at the sheets with a listless gaze. She'd woken bathed in sweat and panicked again, heart racing and pulse pounding. Now she sat while Tessa talked with Mariko about treatment for her sleeping problems and the recent trauma she was exhibiting. She glanced at her hands, which trembled only slightly compared to earlier. It was like there was something underneath her skin, prompting constant movement, vibration. The thought brought the bile forward in her throat. Her body was no longer hers, but a slave to the small blue pill that had threatened to ruin her life a few years ago.

She couldn't take it. Jumping out of the hospital bed, she rushed to the small bathroom adjoining the room and proceeded to vomit up the little she'd consumed in the morning.

It wasn't just the fact that she was no longer herself; it was the guilt that pressed down on her from all sides as well. She'd taken a client she knew she shouldn't have, and now they were suffering because of it. They were trying to piece together what she had been able to, and then foolishly forgotten who she was dealing with. The thought made her throw up once more, although stomach acid was the only thing coming up now.

She could hear pounding on the door (mercifully, it had swung closed behind her, giving her a bit of privacy as she fell apart), and someone was saying something, but she blocked it out. It didn't matter. For the third time in her life, she was guilty, and yet, she was going to be proclaimed innocent yet again. Pain stabbed through her stomach as she threw up for a third time. _Guilty. Guilty. GUILTY._

The pounding became louder and more frantic. Dammit, she was going to make everyone worry if she carried on like this. She needed to pull herself together, at least until this case was over, and then she could hide under her bed for a few weeks until this went away. Kiria took several deep breaths before answering with a weak "I'm okay. I'll be out in a second." It hadn't been overly convincing, but it gave her a couple of minutes to pull herself back together. She pushed herself off of the floor, turning on the sink and splashing her face with cold water. Her reflection was foreign to her, dark eyes rimmed red and the mascara she'd applied this morning running down her cheeks like a macabre indie film. She steeled her nerves before reaching for the makeup remover. It was time to act again, to play a part so convincingly that she would even need to lie to herself, and to believe it.

It was crunch time.

She applied some makeup to her pale face, composing her mask to the best of her ability with such little at her disposal. She tied her hair back, tried for a smile, and strode out of the bathroom with as much confidence as she could manage.

Edgeworth was sitting by the door. She'd forgotten he was in the room when she'd bolted, and she fixed him with a bright smile now like nothing had happened. "Everything alright?" he asked warily.

She nodded, her movements nice and sharp, the tranquil expression not faltering. "Yeah. I'd forgotten I was wearing makeup, and it's not something you should leave on your face." She figured he wouldn't notice the new layer of foundation and concealer she'd applied in the bathroom (it was a male thing; unless it was eyeshadow and mascara, she'd never met a man who could accurately identify makeup).

He didn't look completely convinced, but the way she climbed back in the bed without made him sigh some relief. She twined her fingers together, reassured by how strong her hands were at the moment. "Shouldn't you be helping Nate with the case?" she asked, hoping she didn't sound rude.

"Believe it or not, I'm right where I need to be." He seated himself back in the plastic chair at her bedside. His gaze was powerful when applied in the right way, and she felt transparent under it. "I need you to tell me what you found in the Laytonne case."

She spluttered. "But I can't! Holcomb—"

"Holcomb stopped you from testifying about it. That doesn't mean that you can't speak about it to the Prosecutor. It's just not admissible in court."

Her eyes widened in understanding and she straightened, excited. "You're right." Technically, her ban to speak about the trial only applied in the courthouse and while giving official testimony. However, because anything she told Edgeworth would not be official testimony but instead "background information" for the trial.

He smirked. "Of course I am. Now, what can you tell me?"

"I don't know where you were on the case. Would you mind filling me in?"

He sat back, racking his brain. "Angela Laytonne had been murdered by her sister, with Elias Whitman witnessing it. The letter—Lysander's letter to Hermia—was used as motive. I'd said that Hermia had killed Angela because Lysander had left her for her sister. The knife, which had no fingerprints on it, had been the murder weapon, and the small bookend found had been used as a club to stun the woman. Am I right so far?"

"On what I remember you presenting, yes."

"But something there is wrong." It wasn't a question; he could tell by her manner that he was barking up the wrong tree.

She nodded. "I'll take you through my reasoning and perhaps you'll come to the same conclusion I did.

"Now, assuming as I did that Hermia was innocent, there had to be something flawed in the logic presented. I first thought about the murder weapons. The bookend is heavy, but not so heavy that Hermia couldn't use it to stun her sister. The knife goes without saying; anyone can use a knife." Her thoughts trailed off to a recent case where a three-year-old boy had stabbed his younger sister with a knife. It really was the universal weapon—anyone could use it, regardless of age, gender, strength, or height. "So obviously, there was nothing I could do about the plausibility of the attack."

He nodded in understanding, spurring her on.

"The only other strong point that the case against her had was the letter. If I could find something that would negate that point, then your case would be in trouble and I could get at least a little more time to work things out. That's what I thought, anyways." She shook her head in disbelief. "There's a coded message in the letter. The cipher and letter doesn't matter, but what matters is that Hermia Laytonne talked when I presented her with it."

"It had something to do with _Kronos, _I take it."

She looked surprised. "My notes from this morning?" she asked, wondering how he'd come to the conclusion.

"No. I had the thought yesterday when I went to investigate Lysander Triton's home. Your notes this morning only confirmed it."

Her thoughts diverted momentarily as she wondered if they'd been able to translate the writing in the margins, but she shook it off. "So you know what they say."

"Not unless you expect me to spontaneously learn Japanese."

That would be a negative. "No Yoshiya?"

"He's been mysteriously missing since this morning. Any thoughts on that?"

She shook her head, her face assuming a concerned expression.

"He's probably fine," he was quick to reassure her, even patting her hand. "Now, go on with your story. What is it about _Kronos_ that has to do with this case?"

She tucked her hair behind her ear, taking a moment to compose her thoughts. "It's difficult, because I don't really know the _whole_ story behind it. To tell the truth, Hermia won't even tell _me_ most of it. To gloss over it, she saw something she really shouldn't have, and tried to find out what it was."

"And then she realized that now she knows something, she's a target."

"Exactly." She nodded, steepling her fingers together in front of her. "Unfortunately, she told Lysander everything before she realized how dangerous such information was. When she found out, they made the conscious decision to distance themselves from one another. Lysander didn't like the idea of leaving her alone, so he used Angela as a pretense for still seeing her."

"But why put a cipher in the letter? You'd think they wouldn't leave anything to be found."

Kiria shook her head. "I asked about that. It's simple pride; if they died, Lysander wanted someone to know what had happened. He assumed Angela would still be alive to tell the tale, as well."

"But Angela was the first to die. Why target Angela and not Hermia? Wait. Did Angela know?"

"Hermia was going to tell her on the day she died. I'm guessing Angela's death was meant to intimidate Hermia; if she died and Lysander lived, he could still tell everything. But I don't think Angela ever knew anything."

Edgeworth furrowed his brow as he tried to work over the unlikely story. "But then why tell her?"

"This is pure speculation on my part, but I would guess it was easy for her to guess that something strange was going on. After all, her sister's boyfriend suddenly starts dating her? I'm surprised she agreed in the first place. Red flags would have been raised if I were in that position."

"Okay, so they start dating, and Hermia decides to tell her sister. Angela gets killed in the process, but by who?"

"_Kronos_. I couldn't figure out who the murderer was until the poisoning, but I think it's pretty obvious now." Kiria chuckled, folding her fingers together again and placing them on her lap. "But what I could never answer was how he knew where Hermia and Angela were meeting. I just can't figure it out. I've ran over the scenarios in my head, and none of them make sense."

Edgeworth shook his head. "Your guess is as good as mine." He sat back again, reclining as he thought. "But if Lysander was in on everything, why did he testify against Hermia in the Laytonne trial?"

"A brilliant piece of thinking, actually. I know I wouldn't have thought about it, but remember the first day of the trial? We had to sign waivers to be on film for the nearby law school."

"The trial was being taped," he said slowly in understanding. "If he'd revealed what he'd known about _Kronos_, it would have been fair game for anyone to find."

"Which was exactly what they were trying to avoid."

"They couldn't hide forever though," Edgeworth protested, thinking through it. "What was their plan afterwards?"

Kiria shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. I have no clue what they were planning on doing. I don't think they'd gotten around to thinking about it. Still in denial, I think."

Edgeworth opened his mouth to say something else, but the door to the room swung open suddenly, Mariko and Tessa strolling in. "How are you feeling?" Tessa asked, checking the IV bag near the bed.

Kiria nodded. "I'm okay. Feeling much better now that I've slept a little bit." She put on a superficial smile, having to work at it now that they weren't talking about the case. It was so much easier when she was distracted.

"You should probably sleep some more. Unless you have a need to keep her awake, Mr. Edgeworth?" she asked, turning towards him.

He was already standing, smoothing the creases in his suit. "No. I'll inform the others what we just spoke about." He gave her a small, indulgent smile before putting his hands in his pocket and exiting the room. If he wasn't mistaken, it was time to swing by the evidence room before paying Hermia Laytonne a visit.

* * *

Nathan and Maya were yet again told that the evidence from the Laytonne case was off-limits. This time, luckily, Maya didn't shoot the messenger, and they were stuck twiddling their thumbs as they contemplated the next step. "Any thoughts?" he asked, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.

Maya's face twisted as she thought it over. "Well, I know it wasn't on your agenda, but I was wondering how the pill got under the trash bag."

"What pill?" he asked before realizing what she was saying. "Oh, you mean the one in Kiria's apartment?" His eyebrows furrowed as he realized that the question was still wide open. "I didn't even think about that."

"I mean, I doubt it was Kiria."

He chuckled. "Nah, she doesn't strike me as someone who hides things under trash bags." He started tapping his fingers again, this time in a regular cadence. "They had to have been in her apartment at one point," he concluded as he thought it over. "But when?"

"What about before the poisoning?" Maya asked.

He shuddered. "And she didn't know? That's a frightening prospect. But how would have they have gotten in?"

"She forgot to lock her door?" Maya suggested, her voice uncertain.

He shook his head at the suggestion. "I don't think so. She's gotten pretty good at locking it nowadays." She'd forgotten a lot in her undergraduate years, but by the time they were in Graduate School at Berkeley, she had been the one reminding him to lock his door.

"What about a spare key?"

"I don't know. It just doesn't seem very likely. Maybe I just don't like thinking about the prospect. What about after the poisoning?"

Maya tapped her chin as she thought. "But it was a crime scene after that. No one without authorization would have been able to get in, right?"

He nodded. "Right. Maybe they had authorization for some reason." His face darkened. "Maybe it was Holcomb."

"You think so?" Maya's hands bunched into fists. "That's awful! That's almost as heinous as . . . as the Evil Magistrate!" she declared.

He chuckled. "The Evil Magistrate, huh? Strong words there, Maya." He leaned back in his seat, staring at the ceiling of his car in thought. For some reason, it didn't feel right, Holcomb having been the one to plant the pill. "But if it _was_ Holcomb, why didn't she take it farther than under the trash bag?"

"I guess that doesn't make sense, does it?" Maya deflated, propping her elbow up on her knee and gazing out the window. "But then why didn't whoever it was take it outside of the apartment anyways?"

Nathan shook his head. "I don't know. Honestly, it's a mystery to me. Why leave it where it could be found?" He started the car. "In any case, if the precinct won't release the evidence to us, we can at least get the evidence testing results from Franziska and Lang."

* * *

Phoenix sat in front of the glass, eyes trained on the woman in front of him. They'd been staring at one another since he'd entered, first with the normal greeting, and then with question after question until he eventually gave up and gave in to her extended staring contest. They'd been sitting in silence for almost half of an hour now, neither willing to budge. He didn't have the evidence to make her talk, and she didn't have the words to make him go away. They were at an impasse.

Or they were, until Edgeworth strode into the room purposefully. "Wright," he greeted coolly as he dragged a chair over from the other side of the room.

Phoenix dragged his gaze away from Hermia's. "What are you doing here?" he asked in surprise.

"Cracking our witness." Edgeworth systematically began to take things out of his bag, first starting with bagged evidence and then photocopied sheets of paper. Phoenix merely looked on in confusion.

After a minute of this, he couldn't take the suspense anymore. "What's that stuff?" he asked, almost afraid to ask lest he sound stupid.

"My evidence from the Laytonne case. They may have confiscated Nomura's, but when I went to look for mine, it was in the box where it was supposed to be." He smiled in satisfaction. Because it was being held for a retrial, it had all been organized the way he'd arranged it during the case. It had been a simple matter of looking through it again and reacquainting himself with the new information Kiria had given him. "I'm not interrupting anything?" he asked when he looked up again.

Phoenix started to shake his head, and then stopped. "Er, can I talk to you really quick before we do this?"

Edgeworth sighed, but rose from his chair. Phoenix followed him out of the room. "What is it, Wright?"

Phoenix quickly summed up the results from the last time he'd used the Magatama on Hermia Laytonne. Edgeworth's face, while not entirely expressionless, changed little during the course of the conversation. If anything, he looked a bit distasteful of using the glowing green charm again. He was finally coming around to the idea of spirit mediums and extra powers (he'd accepted Kiria Nomura's claim that she was seeing ghosts, after all), but he wasn't comfortable using the supernatural objects yet. That would take another step of acceptance that he wasn't quite ready for yet. In the interest of solving the case, however, he accepted it into his palm and strode back into the room, Phoenix behind him. It was time to pick up where they'd left off yesterday.

* * *

**A/N: Hell yes! Nick and Edgey tag-team? Really, I couldn't help but write that! I mean, it's so epic!**

**AND HOW ABOUT CHAPTER 40 OF THIS FANFICTION? :D**

**Haha, enough of regaling my own writing. Originally, this chapter was going to be up much earlier than it ended up, but I had to rewrite Kiria's questioning about seven times thanks to Fanfiction's crappy save system. So, if it's not good, I'm sorry. I'll make sure to go back over this chapter when I edit all of the chapters later. Also, Finals start next week, and Dead Week has been beating me up. 6 different episodes due for my Creative Writing course (have you ever written for 10 hours straight? I think I've got carpal tunnel from it now), plus an essay on _Hamlet_ and morphemes to learn for my English Linguistics course! Needless to say, I'll be swamped for the next few days. I hope to get a chapter up by the end of next week!**

**Speaking of next week, anyone else excited for _The Hunger Games_ premiere? If you haven't read it, go read it! The books are excellent, and can easily be applied to our modern world.**

**Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Also, at the end of this volume, I'm going to have a small Q&A session, so if you have a question that you'd like me to answer about the series or writing the series or anything in general, go ahead and ask me! I'll answer to the best of my ability, and hopefully have an answer for you!**

**Oh, and thank you to everyone who has subscribed but hasn't commented; I do notice you! Thank you for taking interest!**

**Comments:**

**Blaze: Edgey was one of my favorite characters in the original series (second only to Oldbag! The Wicked Witch of the Witness Stand lives on!), so I tried to portray him as accurately as possible. I just love the magenta suit! Any man who can wear pink and look as handsome as he does is good in my list! :D**

**Kaitlintheowl: Haha, if you thought the last chapter was a short wait, I'm sorry how long this chapter took! xD But I'm glad you're so enthusiastic about the fic! Tee hee, Nate's my favorite. Seriously, if I could have a Nate in real life, I would. Really? You didn't cry at Unwound Future? I sobbed. The whole Layton and Claire thing? So beautifully executed! And Luke's "I'm not a gentleman yet!" just got me crying again. Seriously, my mom thought there was something wrong with me when I finished that game. You cried at Diabolical Box and Last Specter? Haha, neither of those got me. I liked both of them (Box moreso; I was a bit confused by Specter), but they didn't make me cry. I had a problem remembering the giant blue walrus thing's name, so I called it Nessie. xD**

**Knightofdestiny: Thank you! Ewwww. Edgeworth/Franziska and Edgeworth/Phoenix. I'm not a fan of either of them, haha. I saw the Edgey/Franzy brother/sister vibe from the beginning, so I always think it's kind of weird when people try to pair them up. xD What would I like to see GK5? I'd love to see Apollo Justice 2. They left a lot of questions in the end of AJ1, so I'd like to see those resolved. I don't want another Phoenix game though. His arc kind of ended with T&T. And for personal reasons, I don't want a game in the 7-year gap. For obvious reasons. :D**

**Read and Review? :D**


	41. Turnabout Secrets: Investigation 3b

**Chapter Forty :: Turnabout Secrets :: Investigation :: Day 3 :: Part 2**

"The game's over, Miss Laytonne."

Her dark eyes watched Edgeworth and Phoenix slide into their seats confidently, but her expression never faltered. "You were the Prosecutor for my case, weren't you? Edgewords or something like that." She looked down at her hands, picking under her nails with the same calm manner.

He smiled wanly, initiating a bow from his chair. "Edgeworth, Miss Laytonne. Miles Edgeworth."

"I liked Edgewords better. It sounds like another name for Scrabble or something." She shrugged, her hands returning to her lap.

A perfect transition. Edgeworth lifted the Magatama so that she could see it like Phoenix had instructed and smiled. "You like word games, don't you, Miss Laytonne?"

She raised her eyebrows at the statement, but ignored it, preferring to look at the charm instead. "That thing again?"

Phoenix leaned forwards, arms resting on the table. "Shall we resume our conversation from yesterday?" He stared at the two remaining psyche-locks, determined to break them this time. "You convinced Lysander Triton to end your relationship."

She twirled a piece of curly hair around her thin finger. "Again. Prove it."

Edgeworth spread his hands, palms up in a shrug. "I'm surprised that after someone already was able to prove it, you would still be so confident."

She immediately shut down. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said in a tight voice.

"Oh, but you do. Kiria Nomura figured out the truth from a piece of evidence." He shuffled through the papers on the desk until he found the one he was looking for. "This piece of evidence, in fact."

Her eyes widened, one of the locks shattering violently under the pressure she was feeling. "How did you—"

He let out the breath he'd been holding. If she'd asked where the hidden message in the letter was, it would have all ended there. His relief, however, looked like aggression to her. She cowered in her seat, eyes averted. One hand was pressed to her breast, and she was shaking like a leaf. It wouldn't take much more to break her.

"Tell us the truth, Miss Laytonne. What do you know about Elias Whitman?" Phoenix pressed, leaning forward again.

"I—I don't—I—p-please, don't—" she was stuttering, holding onto the sleeves of the prison garb with a death grip.

"What are you so afraid of?" Edgeworth asked, although he had a feeling he knew the answer.

She shook her head. "I don't want anyone else to get hurt. It's my fault—" she cut off suddenly, breaking into a sob, "It's my fault that Angela and Lysander are—are—are—" She burst into tears, burying her head in her hands.

This wasn't his forte at all. Phoenix stepped up, hand pressed up against the glass. "Hermia, please. We're going to catch the person who is hurting everyone, but we need you to tell us what you know first. Who is Elias Whitman?"

She looked at them, desperation angling her whole body forward. "You'll catch them?" she finally asked quietly. "You'll stop them from hurting anyone else? You promise?"

"We swear."

Edgeworth nodded. "This will never happen again. Not if we have anything to say about it."

Her eyes searched theirs, then closed as if she was resigning herself to some unknown fate. "I'll tell you everything I know." Their expressions brightened until she stuck a finger up in the air. "I'll tell you if you can tell me how you knew."

"How we knew?" Phoenix parroted.

"How you knew about what Miss Nomura found out."

Edgeworth closed his eyes, wondering how she'd take the next bit of news. "She told me. As someone related to the Laytonne case, she had an obligation to tell me what she knew."

"So she trusts you?" she asked quietly, teeth sinking into her pale lower lip.

Phoenix and Edgeworth gave the same wry grin. "I would say so, yes."

She threaded her fingers together again, settling more firmly into her chair. Then, without warning, the final lock shattered. Chains retreated, disappearing into thin air. In a bewildering gesture, Hermia Laytonne's lips spread into the first tentative smile when she looked back up. "What do you want to know?"

"Elias Whitman. What can you tell us about him?"

Her mouth twisted into a grimace as she thought it over. "Elias was Lysander's uncle, as Mr. Price said during the trial today. I'd only met him a few times, but he seemed nice enough. But after Lysander and I broke up, he kept showing up everywhere. I guess his testimony today justifies why. I would have never guessed that Lysander had asked him to look after me." She teared up a little bit, but didn't cry.

Edgeworth's face mirrored a fish for a split second before he slammed the desk with his hands. "What did you say?"

Phoenix was looking up at him like he was insane. Hermia had the same expression.

"Whoa, calm down, Edgeworth. Elias Whitman said it during his testimony today." Understanding suddenly dawned on him. "Which you weren't there for. Apparently there's a phone recording of Lysander telling Whitman to look after Hermia. If you can believe his testimony anyways."

Edgeworth rolled his eyes. "Most people don't invent evidence." He relaxed, settling back into his chair. "But it might explain how he knew where you and Angela were meeting," he murmured, mind replaying the conversation from earlier.

"Excuse me?" Hermia asked.

"Well, he claimed to see the murder. However, neither Miss Nomura nor I could think of a good story as to_ why_ he had been there. If he was watching over you . . ."

She nodded. "I suppose that makes more sense."

Phoenix crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her speculatively. "Was Mr. Whitman the one who killed your sister?"

Hermia's mouth tightened into a sharp line, but she shrugged. "I don't know, to tell the truth. I found her, but whoever killed her had already left the scene." She paused, looking at Edgeworth slyly. "Which, you mind remember, I testified to. Of course, no one believed me other than Miss Nomura, but . . ."

"Forgive me. It's a common excuse for many murderers."

Beside him, Phoenix mumbled something under his breath before resuming the questioning. "Do you think it's possible? Probable even?"

"After he poisoned Miss Nomura? Isn't it past 'probable' and into 'almost certain'?"

Phoenix grinned at Edgeworth. "I like the way she thinks." Edgeworth crossed his arms over his chest and rolled his eyes.

"Thank you, Miss Laytonne, for your time and your cooperation." He stood, motioning for Phoenix to follow his lead.

She looked uncertain. "Are you done with me already?"

"I'll admit that Miss Nomura said a lot of the things I needed you to confirm. Now it's all about making sure that we have the proof to put it all together." He tugged on the lapels of his jacket to right it once again before turning and leaving the room. Phoenix, still looking bewildered, said his own farewell to Hermia and exited as well.

"Where are we going now?" he asked as soon as he'd caught up to Edgeworth.

The taller man turned to look at his assistant with a raised eyebrow. "Miss Laytonne and Nomura have both told us everything they know about the case. It's time to start interrogating the source."

"We're talking to Elias Whitman?"

Edgeworth nodded. "Exactly."

* * *

Franziska was pushing back from the table angrily when Nathan and Maya came in. "This isn't helping us!" she groused, running her hands through her hair in irritation. "The composition isn't matching up enough to any of the manufacturers!"

Lang groaned as well, resting his head in his hands. "Dammit. I was sure that this would work, too."

"What would work?" Nathan asked, holding the door open for Maya to walk through before entering himself. "Evidence testing not going well?"

"We've been trying to see if we could nail down the manufacturer of the poison to see if we couldn't figure out where it had come from. Unfortunately, our sample isn't matching any of the other samples." Lang looked up, eyebrow cocked. "Although I'm surprised to see you two here. Don't you have more investigating to do?"

Nathan shook his head. "They won't let us see any of the evidence collected, so we were wondering if you guys could let us see the results from what you guys have tested."

"They're still not releasing the evidence on the last day of the trial?" Franziska demanded, caught off-guard by the statement. "How long do they need?"

"I don't get who's testing it," Maya admitted. "I mean, I thought you guys were testing it?"

Lang shook his head. "We can only do a secondary test, after the Police Department has done their testing. Because we're—I'm—Interpol, the Police Department has authority over the case." He began to tidy up the numerous sheets spread over the metal table, reaching for some on top of the nearby file cabinet. "Here's the stuff we've got so far. It's not much; it's mostly drug testing."

"Well, since we're trying to solve a drug case, the testing is important, I'd say." Nathan took the sheets, chewing on his lower lip nervously as he read over them. After a long minute, he set them down and looked at the attorney and detective. "Here's something you might be able to answer for me. We found the Rydeine under the trash bag in Kiria's home. I can't think of a reason why anyone would leave it there. Why keep it in the house?"

Franziska gave a satisfied grin as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Only a fool would still be puzzling over that."

"You know why?" Maya asked in surprise, her eyes flashing wide in shock.

She waggled one thin finger in a condescending gesture. "It's obvious." she looked over at Lang, and his amused expression showed her that he had come to the same conclusion she had. "It would have had to be placed after the forensic team had been in the apartment."

Lang nodded. "It's standard procedure to take the trash bag, even if it's empty. Therefore, when the detective who bagged the evidence took the trash bag, he should have seen the pill, if it was there."

"And then it would have been put in the evidence pile," Nathan finished the conclusion.

Franziska nodded. "And therefore, it had to have been placed during or after forensics did its sweep. It would have been an excellent place to hide it, except for the fact that somehow you found it."

"Pure luck." Nathan thanked his lucky stars that Yoshiya had decided on a piece of candy while at the apartment. "But why not take it out of the apartment?"

"Ah, that's where it gets interesting. You'd think that they would, right? After all, leaving it there still has the small chance of being found. So, obviously, they'd have to have been unable to take it away, right?" Lang strung the logical conclusions together effortlessly. "So, who would be investigating after forensics and be unable to take the pill out with them?"

Nathan shook his head. "The only person I can think of is Holcomb," he admitted.

Franziska gave a short, barking laugh. "Don't be a fool. If Holcomb was caught doing such a thing, she'd be disbarred. It's the Forensics testing. Everything they touch has to be bagged, and they turn in the uniforms they use after each search in case of contamination. No one could get a pill out under those circumstances without taking it."

"Why didn't they?" Nathan asked. "Take it, that is."

Lang snorted. "You've obviously never done Forensics bagging. Someone's breathing down your neck the whole time. The pill would have to be dropped somewhere, and that somewhere would be the trash can."

"I've got the list of Forensic testers coming here as soon as possible. If any of them have a link to _Kronos_ or Elias Whitman, they will not get away." Franziska gave another satisfied smile, turning back to the sheets she'd been looking over.

Nathan nodded, seeing that the problem was well monitored, and picked up the evidence testing results again. "You've got the cell phone here?" he asked, eyes raking over the transcription of the recordings on it.

Lang rose, walking over to the file cabinet and rustling through the bags of evidence wordlessly. He finally pulled one out as Franziska scrounged up rubber gloves from the box near her. She put them on over her other gloves, flexing her fingers through the blue plastic. It was strange, how well they operated with one another. They were like a well-oiled machine; he could even see them finishing each other's sentences if they were given the opportunity. He slid the bagged phone over the table to her, and she took it out, handling it gently between her slim hands. "Here is the recorded conversation that Elias Whitman mentioned during the trial." She hit a few buttons and then held it out between the four people in the room.

There was a strange clicking sound, and then the overly enunciated voice of Elias Whitman started. _"Hello?"_

_"Uncle Elias?"_ This voice was deeper, more gravelly, almost overly masculine.

_"Oh, Lysander! How are you?"_

There was a short pause. _"I'm okay. I'm just a little . . . concerned."_

_"About what?"_

_"Well, it's Hermia. We just broke up, but I'm a little worried about her. I know you guys work pretty close to each other, so I was wondering if you could keep an eye on her for me?"_

_"Worried? Has she gotten into something?"_

_"I—I can't tell you."_

_"Are you in trouble?"_

_"No, I'm fine. Will you look after her or not?"_

There was a short chuckle. _"Calm down, Lysander. I'll keep an eye on her, that's no problem."_

_"Thanks, Uncle Elias. Listen, I've got to go, but thanks again. It means a lot to me."_

_"Any time. Be careful. Keep out of trouble, you hear me?"_

_"Got it. See you soon."_ There was another click, and the recording ended.

"So, he was telling the truth about the recording," Nathan concluded.

Franziska scoffed. "Of course he was telling the truth! What a foolish thought! This case has been meticulous, and you think he'd compromise it by claiming false evidence?" She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest again.

Maya cleared her throat, a small smile adorning her features. "But I guess we know how Ms. Whitman could keep an eye on Miss Laytonne, right?"

"Hm? I don't think I remember that in the conversation," Nathan said.

She put her hands on her hips, her cheeks inflating with hot air. "Seriously? He said Miss Laytonne and Mr. Whitman worked near each other. How hard is that to understand?"

"Oh!" Everything suddenly clicked. "So that would be how he could keep an eye on her!"

Maya's expression basically said, "Duh." Nothing like citing what he'd just listened to.

He opened his mouth to say something else, but there was a knock on the glass door separating the lab from the hallway. Franziska placed the cell phone back into its bag before stripping the gloves from her hands again. "Delivery for Miss Von Karma?"

She turned to look at the detective holding a clipboard. "Yes?"

"The list you asked for." He handed the clipboard to her, and she nodded in gratitude, dismissing him in the same motion. She seemed to be much gentler in this case than she had been in the last one, which he guessed was in part because she didn't have authority now.

Her finger skimmed over the list, and Lang came to read over her shoulder. Nathan leaned on the table, waiting for the verdict. Lang was first to react, pulling away in confusion. "That's impossible!"

She looked back at him. "What's so impossible about it?" she demanded.

"What's impossible?" He looked at the list before catching the name that had Lang confused. His eyebrows knitted together as he read the familiar name. "Dwayne Rockweiler?"

"Who's that?" Maya asked. Franziska tapped her foot impatiently against the tile, waiting for an explanation.

Lang looked shaken, his face ashen. "Dwayne Rockweiler was an Interpol detective who went missing four months ago."

"Hey, that was the same time as the Reiko Horiyama case!" Maya pointed out.

Nathan nodded. "Natalya Korovina told us he was part of the team against _Kronos_ when we were investigating that case. But when Kiria went to check it all out, she said that the place was deserted."

"So he's working for _Kronos_ now?" Franziska asked, trying to sum it all up.

Lang shook his head. "Rockweiler wouldn't do that. We weren't from the same team, but he wouldn't do that ever. He hated them with a passion ever since what happened to his wife."

"What happened to his wife?" Nathan asked.

Lang shook his head. "That's not important right now. What is important is that someone's running around with his name."

"_Kronos_?" Maya asked.

"It's gotta be." Lang sighed. "Unfortunately, that means that whoever planted the evidence at our crime scene is going to go free. The list was a dead end."

* * *

**A/N: I thought about putting more in this chapter, but the thing with Dwayne Rockweiler was such a good ending that I couldn't let the opportunity go. c: I hope everyone likes this chapter; it's really one of the most informative ones so far. And I know that everyone's getting bunched up, but it's easier for you to read and me to write. xD **

**Also, did I lose some reviewers? Those of you who are still with me, thank you! We're almost done with this volume (I'm expecting about 5 more chapters, but my estimations tend to be a little off sometimes, as some of you can tell), so keep with me! I'm going to try to update as quickly as is possible with my schedule the way it is.**

**Comments: **

**Blaze: How was this? The next chapter is going to have a better team situation, but poor Hermia Laytonne had been harassed enough. **

**Knightofdestiny: You know, I keep all of the reviews that I hold dear to me in a separate document, and you're going to need a whole document on your own with your kind reviews! When I read your last review yesterday, I almost cried. You're so nice to me! I really do hope you continue to enjoy it the way you have.**

**Read and Review~**


	42. Turnabout Secrets: Investigation 3c

**Chapter Forty-One :: Turnabout Secrets :: Investigation :: Day 3 :: Part 3 [Final]**

"There isn't any way that we could tell who used Dwayne Rockweiler's name?" Nathan queried with a concerned expression.

Lang took the list from the female Prosecutor, eyes skimming it quickly. "Unfortunately not. There's no one that signed off when the evidence was dropped off, so we can't even start from there. This was planned out, and executed perfectly. There's no trace to start from."

"You think she was targeted?" Franziska asked, a rare expression on concern etched even on her features.

Lang shrugged. "Why though?"

"Evangeline Illane, of course!" Maya said, hands propped on her hips.

Nathan shook his head. "Why wait until now if it was about Evangeline Illane? It doesn't make sense." He crossed his arms over his chest. "You'd expect the fallout to be immediate, right?"

Lang's lips pressed together noncommittally. "Not always. One of the problems with dealing with groups is that they're often hard to predict movements. There are multiple leaders all with their different _modus operandi_. Some like to strike while the iron's hot, and the others wait on it. _Kronos_ is no different. On the other hand, four months is a long time to wait on revenge for taking out an essential leader."

"Well, when my mom disappeared from the village, it took a few months to pick a new leader and get everything back to normal," Maya contributed. "Maybe there wasn't a leader to command revenge until now?"

Franziska rolled her eyes. "You're all forgetting something. It was luck that Kiria Nomura happened to be on the Laytonne case."

"Not pure luck," Nathan corrected. "Miss Laytonne chose Kiria for the task. Perhaps _Kronos_ knew it?"

"I doubt it." She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back against the table and feeling the pressure accumulate in her ankle again. It had been painful ever since she'd inflicted her self-punishment in the car, but it was becoming dull again after the shooting pain it had been earlier. "Think of other possibilities. What if this isn't related to the earlier case?"

Lang nodded. "I'm more inclined to agree with Sis over here." She didn't miss that he'd started calling her 'Sis' again, and it almost brought a smile to her face. She hadn't done irreparable damage to their relationship. She had to focus on what he was saying before she missed it. "There's no evidence that this was related to the Illane case in any way." The strange remark made her head jerk up to look at him in disbelief. He was all about jumping to conclusions and proving it later, so the fact that he hadn't done that made her question his sanity.

"So then is this a crime of opportunity?" Maya questioned, finger tapping her chin in thought. "What if she wasn't really targeted before this?"

"So it was coincidental? That's going to be difficult to justify in court." Nathan leaned against the table, running his hands through his hair in frustration. "But then why was she targeted?"

Maya, Lang, and Franziska all looked at him with an annoyed expression on their faces. "Nathaniel Price!" Franziska finally said, cracking her whip at him. "You haven't figured it out yet?"

Nathan took a step back, his eyes widening comically when faced with the petite Prosecutor. "H—huh? You mean you already know?"

"Us and the rest of the world," Maya said, hands propped up on her hips. "Come on, it's not that hard!"

Faced with the sudden pressure, his brain went blank. "But . . ."

Lang rolled his eyes. "Hermia Laytonne," he hinted.

The truth hit him like a brick wall. He staggered backwards as he realized how the winds had shifted. While everything else hinted at complexity, the answer was deceptively simple. Kiria Nomura had been targeted because of her status in the Laytonne case. With Kiria indisposed—dead, even—it forced Hermia Laytonne to switch attorneys, most likely to one less competent. One who wouldn't pick up on the _Kronos_ undertones in the case. At the same time, Kiria's targeting hadn't been completely coincidental; because she'd dealt with Evangeline Illane, she'd been receptive to the kind of deception that came along with _Kronos_. It was all coming together in a vicious cycle. "Okay, so we have motive, assuming that we can find evidence that Elias Whitman is a part of _Kronos_."

"We need something about _Kronos's _involvement in the Laytonne case. Something decisive," Franziska said, her voice curt.

Maya shrugged. "Well, we have what Kiria had." When Nathan looked at her, confused, she put her hands on her hips in an expression of exasperation. "You must be slow today or something. Mariko has Kiria's notes, remember?"

"We need the translated ones," he said, understanding dawning on him. "And then if we can get Hermia or Elias to slip during the trial and reference it—"

"—We have our case," Lang completed, crossing his arms over his chest and nodding in approval. "Unfortunately, where the poison that felled Kiria Nomura came from is a mystery. There's no sample that we have that matches up a hundred percent, and you wouldn't want to bring it into court without such certainty."

Nathan shook his head. "I think we've established that Elias Whitman is the only person that could have done it. The motives were just a bit unclear. If we clarify it, hopefully we can either swing the judge to our side or force a confession."

"Good luck with that. _Kronos_ members don't tend to confess to their crimes until it's too late."

Nathan shook his head. "Well then, we'll just have to hope that tomorrow's trial swings our way. I need Kiria's notes; it's time to start pressuring Mariko. Shall we?" he asked Maya, holding out his arm like Dorothy from the _Wizard of Oz_.

She took it, smiling more brightly than she had in the last three days. "Are we going to win this?" she asked as they exited the lab.

"I've got a good feeling," Nathan said, feeling more in control than he had any time in this trial.

* * *

"Did you know Angela Laytonne?" Edgeworth asked coolly. His gaze was penetrating, but Elias Whitman looked unaffected. Although he was dressed in prison garb, he still had the same poise as he had on the witness stand five days before, testifying against Hermia Laytonne.

He gave a tiny smile. "Hermia's sister? I can't say I knew her well, but she seemed like a very sweet girl. It's a shame that she's dead, really." He folded his hands in front of his face, leaning forward as if entranced by the conversation. "Why do you ask?"

"We're asking the questions here," Phoenix said. There was a slightly dangerous look in his eyes, a deep-seated irony that was disguised by apathy. "Would you mind walking through the events of her death with us?"

His mouth twisted, as if he disliked talking about such things, but he nodded anyways. "Of course, if you think it'll help. Let me see . . . it was mid-afternoon. I'd been following Hermia because of Lysander's request. It was difficult, because she kept looking over her shoulder and such, but eventually she went down an alleyway and I lost her. Unfortunate, yes, but when I caught up with her, she was standing in another alley, a bookend in her hand and the knife in her hand, and Angela was on the ground, dead."

"So you didn't actually see the murder?" Phoenix pressed.

Elias chuckled. "I take it that you trained Miss Nomura? She picked up on that right away. No, I didn't see the actual event happen."

"And you're positive that it was Hermia Laytonne standing over Angela?" he verified.

"If it hadn't been her hair, I might have questioned it more, but you've seen her hair. It's like a bird's nest. It's impossible to mistake."

Edgeworth shuffled through the evidence, eventually alighting upon the letter. "Did you know there was a code in this letter, Mr. Whitman?"

If he had, he made a very good attempt at hiding it. For the first time, he looked taken aback, leaning back from the counter in shock. "A message?" he asked, his normally over-enunciated words slurring together in his surprise.

"That's right." Edgeworth stood, pressing the paper against the glass. "It details everything that you did. Including the murder of Angela Laytonne."

Phoenix looked up at Edgeworth in confusion, shock playing over his face. Elias, on the other hand, stood up abruptly, his chair tipping behind him. "You can't prove anything. Just like Kiria Nomura was unable to." His voice was low, eyes narrowed, back straight. "Just try to convict me. They'll find me not guilty, I assure you."

Edgeworth stared him down for a few seconds before pivoting on his heel and walking out of the room. Phoenix blinked a few times before following the other attorney's example. "What was that?" he asked as soon as the door swung shut behind him. "Why'd you leave? Why'd you tell him that the letter said that he'd murdered Angela Laytonne?"

Edgeworth shook his head, replacing the evidence in his briefcase. "We weren't going to crack him, even if we had all of the evidence in the world. He's got his story solidified after testifying three times now. But I wasn't about to leave with him believing he was going to win." He reached up a hand to adjust his cravat, still looking composed. "He thinks we have an ace up our sleeves that we don't. It'll make him nervous, and he'll hopefully lose some sleep over it."

The strategy was obvious. The more stressed a witness felt, the more contradictions they made. Edgeworth had passed the letter of the law into a psychological game. "Oh. I get it."

"On the other hand, I think I'd like to ask Kiria Nomura something. Are you done here?"

Phoenix shrugged. "If you are. Now that Hermia Laytonne's been cracked, there's not much for me to do here." He frowned. "I feel like there's a lot we still don't know."

"Not every case wraps itself up and ties its own bow. Hopefully tomorrow's trial will clarify some of the points that are less than transparent at the moment." Walking together towards the parking lot in companionable conversation, the quaintness of the situation hit him. How often had he walked out of court with a friend, talking like so? He could count the number of times on his fingers, he guessed. Possibly on one hand. He had never been one to regale the brilliance of friendship and companionship. But this . . . this was nice. "Why didn't we do this more often?" he asked suddenly, his head swinging over to look at Phoenix.

"Hm? What do you mean, Edgeworth?"

The Prosecutor shook his head. "Why didn't we talk like this more often?"

"Rivalry was always easier." Phoenix looked across the parking lot, mostly to avoid looking at his friend. "When we were rivals, we weren't obligated to do anything. We didn't have to justify not working together. We didn't have to justify that we were friends, because at the end of the day, we had an outcome that we were both happy about and that was that." He chuckled darkly. "We don't have that luxury anymore."

This was the first time since Edgeworth had laid into him at his home that they had talked about the disbarring. "We need to do something about that. I know Nomura was looking at a retrial."

"It's not going to work. There's not enough evidence yet. I can't trace it back, and that's what I need to do. Find the origin, and force a confession out of him or her."

Edgeworth made a soft clicking noise with his tongue and teeth as he thought. "I thought that you had traced it back to the forger."

"The forger isn't who I need. It's who commissioned the forgery that is a mystery. And, unfortunately, if I ever want justice, that's who I need."

Edgeworth nodded wordlessly, unlocking his car and sliding into the driver's seat. He waited for Phoenix to take the passenger's seat before speaking. "As soon as this trial is over, I'll give your case my full attention. I was thinking of taking a break from prosecuting after this anyways. I need a good, long vacation before I intend to step foot in a courtroom again."

Phoenix chuckled. "You and me both." He didn't acknowledge the pledge that Edgeworth had made, instead brushing it off. "You and me both, Edgeworth," he repeated, softer this time.

* * *

"Yoshiya!" Nathan greeted as they swung into the hospital. The translator was standing in the lobby, talking with Mariko about something in urgent tones, but his head snapped to them and a smile immediately adorned his face when he recognized them.

"Ah, I wondered how long it would take you to get back here." He ignored his older sister's dissatisfied expression, turning a full 180-degrees to face them. "I'm guessing you want the translated notes?"

"If you wouldn't mind."

Yoshiya shook his head, glancing once at Mariko before disappearing down the hallway to retrieve them. Maya looked between the doorway that the brother had just entered and the sister still standing in the room. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

Mariko put on a sweet smile. "Of course. What would make you think otherwise?"

"You looked like you were arguing," she said, concerned.

"We argue every once in a while," she said. "But it was nothing important."

Yoshiya reemerged at this moment, holding the file folder from earlier. "The translations are on sticky notes; I didn't want to tamper with evidence. You should know that there's nothing concrete in there; she was pretty vague with all of her comments."

Nathan groaned. "Of course she was. Because she wouldn't be Kiria Nomura if she wasn't difficult."

The comment made Yoshiya chuckle. "Of course not. Anyways, you might want to look over those as soon as possible; the trial's tomorrow, and it's your last chance."

The Prosecutor nodded, taking the file and settling down in one of the armchairs that furnished the lobby. Maya sat next to him, peering over his shoulder, and Yoshiya and Mariko went back to their argument. After a few more minutes of heated argument, they separated, Mariko stomping off angrily to Kiria's room and Yoshiya sitting down in one of the chairs, an exhausted sigh on his lips. After a few minutes, he pulled out his cell phone, chatting with someone in rapid Japanese. The interaction didn't take long, but it put a smile back on his face, and by the time he had hung up, he was humming to himself.

Maya had watched this (Nathan could pore over folders all day if he wanted to; her attention span was admittedly limited when it came to such things), and she got up, settling into the chair next to the translator. "Was that a special someone?" she asked, a grin on her face from the realization that she sounded just like Pearl with such a question.

"Special someone?" he questioned, resting his ankle on his knee and looking at her questioningly.

"Yeah. A girlfriend?"

He laughed. "A family friend. Mariko's daughter is staying with her, and she's terribly worried about Kiria at the moment. I swear, she's called me ten times in the last two hours." He shook his head at such antics, a fond smile on his face.

"Family friend?" Maya questioned. Her grin turned accusatory as she winked. "You seem much too happy for it to just be a family friend. Are you sure she's not your _special someone_?" she teased.

Yoshiya could feel his face heating up with the questioning. "I'm quite sure. After all, Kiria would never allow it. This family friend just so happens to be her best friend from school. They were impossible to separate, once upon a time."

"What's her name?" Maya asked, hoping to get more of a reaction out of him. Now she realized why Pearl had questioned her and Phoenix's relationship for so many years; not only was it fun, but it was a perfect way to get more information about someone.

His smile turned fonder, the sparkling of his dark eyes belying his earlier words. "Nadeshiko. Nadeshiko Suzuki."

"You like her!" Maya proclaimed, clapping her hands together at this revelation. "So, why haven't you done anything about it?" she asked, leaning forward in interest.

Yoshiya spluttered, face going red. "N—No! I—uh, I—she's just a friend." But his voice was weak, lacking conviction behind the words. Maya's smile widened in response, and he turned even redder. "It's not what you think! Really!"

Had Nick ever turned this shade of red under Pearl's interrogations? Maya fought the urge to chuckle at the discomfort written all over Yoshiya's face. "You know, you should tell her how you feel. I bet she feels the same way!"

"And why would you think that?" he questioned before realizing that he'd just implicitly agreed to her assumptions about his feelings. "Speaking in terms of friends, of course."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. You sat there and talked with her on the phone for five minutes, a smile on your face the whole time, even though you and Mariko had just argued about something. If you enjoyed it that much, she must have too."

"I think there's a flaw in your logic," he said disapprovingly. A hint of maroon in the corner of his eye alerted to the arrival of the other prosecutor, and he tilted his head in the direction of Maya's boyfriend and Edgeworth. "Now, I think it's time you and your 'special someone' reconnected." He chuckled when she hopped up, throwing herself at Phoenix.

Maya Fey might have asked a lot of questions that he didn't want to answer, but she wasn't a bad person. No, he thought as he watched her chat excitedly with her boyfriend and walk off in the direction of Kiria's room, she wasn't bad at all. He shot a rueful grin at his phone, contemplating calling Nadeshiko again, but decided it might seem too imposing. Instead, he got up, moving to the conversation between Edgeworth and Nathan.

"I think I've got a plan for tomorrow's trial," Nathan said.

Edgeworth nodded. "I think it'll work," he agreed, turning to the translator as he got closer. "Mr. Nomura, it's been a few hours. Anything interesting happen?"

* * *

Kiria sipped at her water, a grin on her face despite the nausea and dizziness coming back again. Her eyes focused on the blond prosecutor in front of her, who was telling a story about a case he'd had the other day.

"The witness, Nikola, was saying something about her brother's disappearance, claiming he had just vanished. But people don't just vanish, ja? The Defense pounced on it, claiming that she wasn't fit to testify, and you know what she said?" He paused, waiting for her to actively participate in the conversation.

She rolled her eyes, chuckling as she did so. "What did she say?"

"She said that if rock gods could be Prosecutors—no, I'm not making this up, _Fraülein_; she really said 'rock gods'_—_then she, a lowly citizen could be a qualified witness." He laughed, putting a hand on his chest as if to repress any more of the laughter bubbling up in his throat. "And to think, Daryan and the others weren't even in the courtroom! Think what she might have done if they were!" He roared with laughter again, and she had to laugh at the picture he made, Klavier Gavin laughing this hard at her bedside, in the middle of a hospital.

It was sweet of him to visit, it really was. He'd explained that he'd been working on a high-profile case the last few days, or else he would have come earlier, but it was considerate of him to come in the first place. He'd even brought a vase of flowers, baby's breath, daisies, carnations, and peonies sitting on the small bedside table. They sat below her sister's miniature _senbazuru_ hanging on a hook from the ceiling. It was the sentiment that she appreciated most. He continued to be a good friend, her best friend in the International Attorney meetings (especially with Franziska there now; it was intimidating to be there with the stern woman and no one else).

She chuckled at his story. "Sounds like she was a Gavinners fan."

"As they all should be," he said, winking at her deviously. "I wouldn't be opposed to it, ja?"

"I bet you wouldn't."

"You make it sound like a bad thi—"

"—What's going on here?"

The door hit the wall a second later, the solid sound of wood meeting plaster making Kiria jump three feet in the air in alarm. She clutched at her chest, looking over at the visitors.

Phoenix stood in the doorway, looking betrayed. His eyes met Klavier's, and there were sparks flying between the two within fractions of a second. Kiria's eyes flitted between the two men, Maya looking just as uncomfortable on the other side of the doorway. "Nick, we should—"

"No need," Klavier said, standing fluidly and taking his jacket from his lap. "I was just leaving." His tone was curt, disapproving even, and he turned back to Kiria. "Get well soon, _Fraülein__._" He touched her hand once before moving towards the door. Phoenix didn't move from his position in the doorway, so the rock star was forced to sidle against the frame to get past him. He nodded once to Maya before disappearing down the hall.

"What was that?" Phoenix demanded. "Have you forgotten he got me disbarred?"

"I don't believe he did anything of the sort," Kiria said, but she was too tired to argue with him. She didn't want to get worked up, after she was already trying to calm down from her initial shock when he had slammed the door against the wall.

"Nick," Maya warned, placing a hand on his arm before moving past him to sit in the chair Klavier had been seated in. "How are you feeling?" she asked Kiria, trying to resolve everything.

Kiria shrugged, putting the face she'd composed earlier back on. "I'm fine," she said, hoping that Maya couldn't see through the chinks in the figurative armor she'd constructed. There were lots of faults, lots of problems, lots of things she hadn't even begun to face yet. "How is the case?"

"I've got faith in Nathan. He'll do it," the spirit medium reassured her, a smile on her face. Kiria wondered who was putting on the better show, she or Maya.

Kiria nodded, knowing that she had to place her faith in her friend. "I know. He'll do it," she repeated, trying not to think about anything past the trial tomorrow, lest her face show traces of her dread.

* * *

**A/N: Hahahaha, I told you guys that it would be late. I just didn't realize it would be this late. Unfortunately, when Finals Week rolled around, so did a cold (and I don't do so well when I'm sick; the lack of sleep makes me really weird), and then I took Spring Break off, and didn't realize that the chapter was barely written. So, major apologies. Also, major apologies to the quality of this chapter; it's certainly not the best one I've ever done. Believe me, if I could make this one better, I would. It's on the top of my list to edit. Also, a small shoutout to my roommate, who isn't reading the story, but is trying to scour the comments right now to where I've referenced her. She's awesome and the BEST ROOMMATE EVER. Just thought I'd say that.**

**Also, a shoutout to new readers and everyone who subscribed last chapter (there were so many!); thank you all!**

**Reviews:**

**Blaze: I'm just going to congratulate you for being the first reviewer on, like, the last five chapters. I'm impressed. :D Actually, teamwork between the two was harder to write than I thought it would be, so I'm really glad that you liked it!**

**Psykit: No worries, dear! I hope everything is alright, and I'm glad you still like it and are still reading! **

**Knightofdestiny: Like normal, your review cheered me up. Actually, I am writing a novel right now (although it's currently been on hiatus for research purposes), but I'm flattered that you think it would be so good! **

**Poppunkrocker4321: Thank you! I'm glad you like it!**

**Blackwiddow: Welcome to the fanfiction, firstly! Haha, I wish Capcom thought it was a good enough idea to take me up on it, but alas, I'm a 19-year-old girl with a dream, right? Tee hee, I have a writer-crush on Nate too. Ironically, he's based off of a character from an early story I wrote, so he's probably the easiest character to write of all of them; more experience, you know? Although I like the name Nathaniel Price much than Richard Benton. c: Wrong story though. Anyways, I hope you continue to read and enjoy!**

**According to my estimations, there's three chapters left! Keep reading! And I'll try to update quicker this time. xD**

**Read and Review!**


	43. Turnabout Secrets: Trial 3

**Chapter Forty-Two :: Turnabout Secrets :: Trial :: Day 3 [Final]**

Despite the fact that everyone was ready to get this trial over, the morning came much too quickly. There was a strange mix of excitement mingling with dread in the pit of Nathan's stomach as he entered the courtroom, cup of _Starbucks_ coffee in his hand. He knew it was probably safe to drink the stuff from the courthouse cafe, since it had never actually been poisoned, but just the thought of drinking it again brought a sour taste to his mouth. He sipped the warm drink he'd bought to wash out his mouth.

"Ready for the trial?" Maya asked cheerfully when he arrived. Phoenix, Edgeworth, and Franziska were talking together, looking more casual than he'd ever seen them look. It was almost like they weren't talking about a trial, but instead some collective hobby, like jazz dancing or antique trading. He chuckled, gaze slipping back to the spirit medium in front of him.

He put on a charming smirk. "Of course. I'm ready to demolish this sonofabitch."

"How're you gonna do it? A good one-two?" She mimed punches, fists extended and pulling back quickly, but sloppily.

He laughed. "Oh, if only I could." He winked before moving to the other group. She followed behind. "Everyone ready to end this trial?" he asked with an air of confidence. It belied his dread at the amount of work he was going to have to exert to get Elias Whitman to crack.

Edgeworth nodded. "More than prepared, I would say."

"There's one objective," Phoenix stated, looking at the faces in the small circle of people they had created.

Nathan nodded. "Solve this case without letting Elias Whitman take the stand."

"All of the evidence is there," Franziska said, looking at him in disapproval. "Only a fool could lose the trial now." There was a collective agreement in the circle, and a flurry of smiles breaking out onto faces. This was all ending. The pieces had come together as they could only when faced with the truth, and now it was time to perform.

The sunshine seemed to dim as Kiria Nomura entered the room. She'd been something akin to a lucky charm, a victim who had survived, someone who had brightened their days, but she seemed unable to this morning. She was as pale as death, looking no better than she had the first day in the hospital. Dark rings lined her eyes, so distinctive that she looked like she was recovering from a fight. Her thin limbs were wrapped around herself, and while her clothing was just as professional as the day before's, it had a harried quality to it, as if she'd just thrown on the first things she'd seen that had gone together. Her blouse was wrinkled slightly and not tucked into the skirt as tightly as it normally would have been, and she lacked the normal accessories to pull the look together.

Nathan saw her first, looking worried as she approached with her brother and sister. Tessa was absent today, which was a sign that he didn't know how to take. But he approached her anyways, a giant grin on his face. "Good morning!" He swept her up in a hug, noticing how her body seemed harder and more angular than before. Her cheekbones, while softened slightly with rouge, seemed more prominent, harshening her jawline. "How are you feeling?"

"Feeling? Oh, I'm fine. Fine, really." She seemed to be mumbling to herself at the end, as if she were trying not only to reassure him, but herself that she really was okay. "Quite well."

Nathan shot Yoshiya a look, and while Maya and Phoenix greeted her, he pulled the translator aside. Edgeworth followed, concern written on his features. "She doesn't look so good," Nathan said.

Yoshiya gave a humorless chuckle. "No, she doesn't. But then again, when you haven't slept for twenty-four hours and kept anything down in forty-eight, it's to be expected. She has to fall apart sometime."

Nathan looked unconvinced, but nodded. "Anything that we can do?"

"Wrap up this trial."

The young Prosecutor nodded, taking the advice to heart before returning to the larger group. Edgeworth hung back, watching. "It's the drugs, isn't it?" he quietly asked as soon as he was positive that Nathan wouldn't hear.

Yoshiya nodded. "But the problem is that it isn't just the drugs. The drugs will go away within a week. It's the self-hatred that's destroying her. She thinks it's weakness, she thinks that they've got control of her again, but what she hasn't realized is that they have no more control over her than she allows them to. Until she gets that, she's not going to sleep or eat or anything like that. She's going to waste away until her head finally tells her body that it's time to start working again."

"Was she like this last time?" he asked quietly, looking for cracks in her armor. The telltale tremor when she clenched her fists, the slight sway that told him that she wasn't quite comfortable in her shoes, the flickering in and out of concentration as Maya told her something. It all pointed to a problem that wasn't going to be solved by a short trip to the hospital.

Her brother shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. "To an extent. She was a bit more lenient with herself. She's always been a bit self-destructive, but that was what made her good at things. She worked everything until it was like clay in her hands, and even if it was difficult for her, she conquered it. That was the first time. But this time, it's less about conquering it and more about the knowledge that she failed the first time. It's proof of failure, and she doesn't deal with it well."

Edgeworth nodded, thinking of a certain blue-haired Prosecutor as a child who had been the same way. The girl who had pored over large tomes to learn the terms of the court when she could barely spell her own name. The girl who had begged as a five-year-old to be able to witness a horrific murder trial. The girl who, when faced with failing the Bar Exam the first time, had not emerged from her room in two weeks before immediately retaking the test, this time passing with flying colors. It was a silent burden that both women bore, a silent cross that they carried and if they were not careful, they would end up crucifying themselves with it before their lives were up. "Does anyone else know?" he asked quietly.

"Mariko and I. I think Maya's starting to catch on. I don't think she knows everything yet, but she knows something's wrong. More than we're letting on, anyways." Yoshiya shook his head again, face showing disapproval. "If she doesn't pull it together soon, the cat's going to be out of the bag, and everyone's going to know."

Edgeworth nodded, a grave expression on his face.

"Court will convene in five minutes," the bailiff announced in the lobby.

One by one, all of the pieces filed in, preparing to complete this complex puzzle set out.

* * *

"Court is reconvening for the trial of Whitman v. State of California." The Judge looked grave, his eyes pausing on each crucial member of the trial. Nathan and Edgeworth stood at the Prosecution Bench. Arielle Holcomb stood at the opposing bench. At one end of the gallery, Elias Whitman sat in a chair designated for the Defendant. Kiria and Hermia Laytonne sat on the other side of the courtroom. For once, Hermia was the healthier-looking one, smiling pleasantly. Kiria's eyes were averted, and she seemed to be intently studying her skirt. "I see that everyone involved is present."

Nathan nodded. "Indeed, your Honor. The Prosecution is attempting to resolve this case as quickly as possible today." He tugged on the lapels of his jacket, chin high.

"I see. Well then, let's get this trial started. Would the Prosecution like to give its opening statement?"

Edgeworth and Nathan exchanged a glance, and Edgeworth nodded. "We would, your Honor." The elder Prosecutor cleared his throat before continuing. "Yesterday, after intense cross-examination of everyone involved in this case, the Prosecution realized that there was a giant piece missing in this case. Namely, Elias Whitman's motive. We would like to clarify the motive as the first order of business in this trial today."

Holcomb laughed humorlessly. "Ah, what are you going to bring up today? Aliens? My client has no motive! There is no reason that he would poison Miss Nomura!"

Nathan _tsk_ed. "That is an incorrect statement, Miss Holcomb. The Prosecution would like to call Hermia Laytonne to the stand!"

* * *

Hermia's eyes were vacant when they looked at Nathan, but she quickly warmed up when she saw Edgeworth. They'd already ascertained that Edgeworth would do this round of questioning, because of the rapport they'd established yesterday. "Witness, please state your name and occupation for the court."

"Hermia Laytonne. I'm a Pathologist."

Edgeworth nodded, reassured at the fact that she hadn't fought against the question like she had the day before. "Thank you. I'd like to tell you that there are no cameras in this courtroom. Those allowed into the gallery are respected members of the law community. This courtroom is completely safe; nothing other than the outcome of the trial will be released. Now, that being said—"

"—you want me to talk about what I saw."

He gave a small "harrumph" about being interrupted, but nodded all the same. "Yes."

She closed her eyes, trying to conjure up every memory of that day.

* * *

_I'd gotten off of work late. It must have been eight, eight-thirty maybe? I don't know; it was late, and I needed coffee or something before driving home. I figured I'd just nip over to the small cafe down the street, grab a latte, and then go home._

_As I was walking, I suddenly heard a scream coming from somewhere close. It was terrified, a scream of pain or danger. I'm a government official in a way, and I knew that I should have called the police, but I figured that someone had tripped and sprained an ankle or something minor, and that I could help fix it with all of that knowledge from medical school that I don't use. So, I walked towards the source of the sound. I don't know why I didn't cry out or anything. I should have said something, started asking whether anyone was there. But I didn't, and I stumbled across something._

_It was three people. One person, a woman, was lying prone on the floor. She looked like she'd just fallen over; there wasn't any blood or anything, but she was gasping quietly. The two others, both men, stood next to her, murmuring something quietly. After a minute, the woman stopped her movements. She'd died. The men didn't seem too worried about it._

_One of them—the one on the left, from where I was standing—shook his head at her. "There's another one gone," he said. His voice was low, and his tone indicated irritation of some sort. He wasn't happy about her having died, that much was certain._

_The other guy chuckled. "They don't last forever, you know. But there are more where that came from."_

_The first guy nodded at the statement, and he sounded like he was smiling. "I know. This one was halfway attractive, though. Not every day you see one like that."_

_"Hell, they're getting better looking by the day," the second guy said. "I guess when you start accumulating more of them, there's going to be a few hot ones in the bunch."_

_"Guess it's time to go pick up another one." The first guy started walking away, and the second guy followed, but they continued to talk. I don't remember everything they said, but it was in a hushed tone. They kept interspersing Latin in their conversation, and then there was some Classical Greek as well. I didn't get it. But all of a sudden, they were walking back towards the woman, a frown on their faces. "You know, we should do this right," the first guy said. He reached into his belt and pulled out a pistol._

_The other guy nodded, but he flinched when the bullet was shot. And then, as if nothing had happened, they just walked away._

_I was terrified. I'd cowered behind a dumpster while this was all happening, but from the way they were talking, it sounded like they were doing human trafficking of some kind. But then when I went to check the woman who was still dead on the street, it was strange. She hadn't died from anything physical. She'd died of a brain aneurysm. I think that was when I realized that something weird was going on. I told Lysander, and he agreed that I'd seen something weird. But then things started happening really fast. The woman's death became public. I'd been documented as the Medical Examiner on it. Things started to get weird. I was getting threatening letters in the mail. Things started falling out of the sky, narrowly missing me by inches. We decided that we had to do something. I was going to disappear. Vanish from the face of the earth. I scheduled a lunch date with my sister, Angela, to tell her everything._

_Angela never made it, and I was charged with murder. I found her, bludgeoned and stabbed, in the same alley that I'd found the woman with the brain aneurysm. Cops sprung out of nowhere, and then I found myself arrested._

* * *

No one had heard the full story until now. It cast an eerie shadow over the courtroom as everyone contemplated what had happened. Nathan could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing at attention. "Thank you, Miss Laytonne," Edgeworth said, swallowing loudly in order to cover his discomfort. "The crucial part of your testimony for this case is the description of the men who killed the first woman. You said that they were part of a group?"

"That's what it sounded like. I thought it was a human trafficking ring because they were talking about the woman like she was an object, and they were saying that there were more like her."

"But they were a part of a unified group, correct?" he clarified.

"Yes. The two men were certainly part of a larger group," she said firmly.

Edgeworth nodded, knowing that he would need all of his powers of persuasion to push the next point. "The Prosecution alleges that Mr. Elias Whitman was a member of the group that Miss Laytonne witnessed killing a woman. When Miss Nomura came too close to discovering the truth, Mr. Whitman realized that he needed to do something about it. So, he poisoned her, hoping to incapacitate her and create a mistrial in order to force Miss Laytonne into choosing a different attorney."

"Objection! This is all conjecture!" Holcomb said.

Edgeworth nodded. "For now it is. But we aren't finished creating our case, Miss Holcomb. Now, unless you'd like to cross-examine Miss Laytonne, who hasn't testified as to anything relevant to your client, the Prosecution would like to call its next witness."

Arielle Holcomb paused. "I do have one question for the witness. Miss Laytonne, did you recognize Mr. Whitman as one of the members who killed the woman you witnessed?"

Hermia shook her head. "No, I don't think so. It was dark, but I think I would have recognized his voice. It wasn't him."

Holcomb nodded in approval. "Thank you, Miss Laytonne. The Defense is ready for the next witness."

"What was that question for?" Nathan murmured to Edgeworth.

"She's trying to distance her client from the charges as early as possible." He redirected his attention to the court as Hermia Laytonne took the seat she'd sat in earlier. "The Prosecution calls Kiria Nomura to the stand."

* * *

He wished that she didn't have to be questioned. Nathan cleared his throat, stretching out his arms to loosen the muscles in his shoulders, and Kiria stumbled to the stand. How much of Kiria he would receive, he wasn't sure yet. She hadn't been all there this morning, which made her a loose cannon when it came to testimony. "Witness, please state your name and occupation."

Luckily, some of the faraway look she'd had earlier had vanished. She looked composed and calm, standing primly at the witness stand. "Kiria Nomura, Defense Attorney."

"I want to remind you that the same sanctions as earlier have been placed on this courtroom. There are no cameras, and nothing will be released from this courtroom other than the decision." He chuckled at her bewildered expression and continued. "Now, I believe that there was a case four months ago that you encountered a crime group similar to the one Miss Laytonne has just mentioned, correct?"

Understanding dawned on her features. "Yes, that's true."

"Would you mind testifying as to the nature of this encounter?"

She glanced around the room, wringing her hands for a moment before nodding. "Four months ago, I took on a client who was a part of an international crime ring. I didn't know it at the time. She was one of the minor leaders of the ring, and had committed the crime. We used prints from a previous case in order to bring judgment and ultimately come to a decision in the case."

He nodded, satisfied that she hadn't mentioned the group by name. "So, if you were to find a link in another case that was similar to that case four months ago, would you pursue it?"

"Absolutely."

"Is this what happened during the Laytonne case?"

No quicker than he had gotten the sentence out of his mouth than Holcomb threw up an objection. "This is in violation of the hearsay principle put upon Miss Nomura in yesterday's trial! Miss Nomura is not qualified to speak about what happened during the Laytonne case!"

"Objection! Miss Nomura isn't qualified to speak about what _actually_ happened during the Laytonne case, or in other words, the crime. However, she _is_ allowed to speak about her investigation!" Nathan argued.

The color drained from Holcomb's face, and the Judge was nodding. "I'm afraid that Mr. Price is right, Miss Holcomb. As long as Miss Nomura speaks about what she personally witnessed, she is not in violation of the law. Mr. Price, please continue with your questioning."

Nathan knew that the turnabout had been successfully completed. Now it was time for the rest of the pieces to fall into place. "Now, Miss Nomura, please, answer the question. Did you observe a similar link to what you experienced four months ago in the Laytonne case?"

She nodded, and for the first time today, there was a small smile on her face. "Yes."

"Would you mind telling the court where?"

Kiria cleared her throat, looking down at her hands. She had one chance to say this, and with the chaos her mind was making, it wouldn't have surprised her to have screwed it up. "When I was investigating the Laytonne case, the letter from Lysander to Hermia had a hidden code inside. It detailed, very plainly, what had happened to Hermia. When I asked Hermia about it, she told me a brief explanation of what I needed to know in order to solve what happened, and we would be on our way.

"When I was looking into who was involved in the subterfuge—namely, the framing of Hermia Laytonne—I came across a set of articles written by one of the witnesses about the international crime ring that I had found four months ago."

"Did you find this to incriminate him?"

Kiria shook her head. "I never got close enough to find out. On the day I was going to release the information I had acquired, I was poisoned, and the case was declared a mistrial."

Nathan nodded at her, trying to keep his face composed, but jumping up for joy on the inside. She was playing along perfectly. They were going to get him! "Could you give the name of your suspect, please?"

There was a beat of silence, almost as if she needed to let the tension build. Her lips finally parted, and he found himself holding his breath, even though he knew what the answer was. "Elias Whitman."

* * *

The courtroom was loud with Holcomb's objections and the gallery's excited chatter. Nathan could hear Lang's shouts of triumph and Franziska's stern warnings to "sit his ass back down before he did something foolish". It took the Judge almost three minutes to get everyone to calm down enough for him to speak over the noise. "Order! Now, Mr. Price, what do you plan to do with this statement?"

Nathan grinned. "Your Honor, the Prosecution's case has just been solidified.

"Yesterday, we ascertained that Mr. Whitman was the only person who had the ability to poison Miss Nomura, but we couldn't determine a motive. I believe that Miss Nomura's suspicions are enough to make the case that Mr. Whitman had a motive to get Kiria Nomura out of the way."

"Objection!" Holcomb shouted. "That is hardly enough proof to condemn my client!"

Edgeworth shook his head. "Actually, it is. It condemns Mr. Whitman beyond a reasonable doubt, which is all we need for conviction."

"You have no proof! Your theory that Mr. Whitman took action after realizing Miss Nomura suspected him is pure conjecture!"

Kiria cleared her throat. "If only it was. That would be convenient, wouldn't it?"

"You have proof?" Nathan choked out, surprised.

Her lips spread into a smile as she reached into the small purse she was carrying. "I can't prove that Mr. Whitman took action; I believe that is fully explained by the surveillance video of Mr. Whitman doctoring up the coffee. But I _can_ prove that he knew that I suspected him." She placed something on the bench in front of her.

"A . . . pin?" he asked, wondering if this was one of those moves from left-field that he'd been anticipating earlier.

"I was wondering where that went!" Phoenix hissed from the audience.

Kiria smiled. "I knew once we got into the crime ring that things were going to get dangerous. So I brought in my own form of surveillance during my investigation. Inside that pin is a video camera. When I went to talk to Mr. Whitman one day, I let slip that I suspected him; he knew that I was targeting him."

"But . . . wait, what?"

"This isn't admissible in court! It was taken when my client was unaware!" Holcomb said.

Kiria shook her head. "Unfortunately, you need to read your laws a little closer. It wasn't admissible in court during the Laytonne case because of the conflict of interest presented. However, because it is a mere confirmation of a testimony, it is perfectly admissible for this trial." For a minute, there was a glint of the old Kiria, the competent attorney, but it was gone in the next second as she took her seat again.

Nathan nodded, taking advantage of the hype she'd built up. "Miss Nomura is quite right. Now, coupled with all of these facts, I'd say it's almost impossible for someone else to have committed that attempted murder, don't you?"

Holcomb was spluttering. Elias Whitman looked murderously angry. He stood, staggering up to the Defendant's Stand, and slammed his hands down on it. "This trial is ridiculous! This assumes that I was the one who killed Angela!"

"No, Mr. Whitman," Edgeworth said, shaking his head. "It assumes that you're a part of the group who was responsible for Angela's death."

Nathan nodded. "Indeed. And don't bother to counteract that, because we have proof." He held up the file that Kiria's notes had been in. "Can you tell me who Tessa Rockweiler is?"

"I've never heard of her."

The prosecutor's lips spread out into a predatory smile. "Really? That's incredible, because you leaked the story of her assault last year." He opened the file, pulling out a single newspaper clipping. "In this, you detail out how Mrs. Rockweiler was assaulted by a member of what you called a 'gang', although I think gangs would object to that classification. She obtained so many head injuries that she lost her memory, according to you. Now, Interpol has already declared that what Mrs. Rockweiler went through was an attack launched by the same crime group that killed Angela Laytonne. Now, how could you—a speech pathologist—have access to information that had not been released yet?"

Whitman stayed quiet.

"You couldn't have, unless you were a member of the group. Miss Nomura caught you red-handed, so to speak, when she uncovered the newspaper clipping."

He was silent for a long moment. The courtroom was silent, waiting for the inevitable explosion to happen.

It didn't.

Whitman looked at his lawyer, shaking his head sadly at her. His gaze wandered, this time to the Witness bench. "Miss Nomura, it's been a pleasure. We'll be in touch, right?"

Kiria glared.

"I'm ready for sentencing now, your Honor."

The Judge looked startled. "You're not going to deny the charges laid upon you by the Prosecution?"

He shook his head. "It would be a waste of time."

Nathan sighed in relief as the Judge nodded. "Alright then. Mr. Elias Whitman, you have been found guilty of the attempted murder of Miss Kiria Nomura. Sentencing will take place at a later date. Bailiff, if you would?"

The bailiff led him out of the room in handcuffs.

It was all over.

* * *

Kiria was transported back to the hospital too quickly for Nathan to celebrate with her, but he resolved that when they got back, there was going to be a party that they'd never forget. He had a giant smile on his face as he exited the courtroom, accepting an enthusiastic hug from Maya and a few grudging compliments from the others.

"I can't believe that's how it ended," Phoenix said, shaking his head. "You didn't even have to prove that Whitman killed Angela Laytonne."

Edgeworth shook his head. "It was beyond a reasonable doubt as to who poisoned Miss Nomura. Before sentencing happens, Hermia will probably receive a retrial, and the question will be laid to rest."

"Speaking of Hermia, where did she go?" Maya asked, looking around the lobby for the woman. She was in the corner, a gentle smile on her lips, red ribbon in her hands. "Should we go talk to her?"

Nathan nodded, walking over to where their key witness sat. "How does it feel? Having it all off your chest?"

She laughed. "It's not all over yet. But I think I'll be able to disappear now." Her expression fell. "I don't have anyone keeping me here now. No Lysander and no Angela. It's kind of lonely, you know?"

He nodded. "I get it. But what about Kiria? And, of course, you have all of us." He nodded his head towards the group waiting for his return.

"It's kind of you to offer, but I'd rather live my life not worrying that I was going to end up like that woman I found." She shook her head. "I think I'll go somewhere on the East Coast. Or maybe I'll go to Europe. I haven't been there since I got out of Med School."

"Wherever you go, they'll be lucky to have you. You're an extraordinary woman, Hermia Laytonne, and don't let anyone tell you differently."

She smiled, the first smile he'd seen since he'd met her. He could see what had attracted Lysander Triton to her. It was like her whole face lit up when she grinned. "Thank you, Mr. Price. Who knows? Maybe I'll be back in California someday."

"Well, if you are, don't hesitate to look me up. I'd love to hear from you again."

She looked down to her lap, at the single ribbon she was holding. "Would you mind giving this to Miss Nomura for me?"

"This?" He took it, looking at it as if it was holding ancient secrets. "Sure. Why?"

"She'll understand what it's for." She stood abruptly, her task finished. "Thank you again, Mr. Price. And please, thank Miss Nomura for me. She did so much more than I ever thought she could. I'll be forever grateful to her."

"You bet. Take care, and have a safe trip. Go to Europe; I'm sure you'll enjoy it." He winked at her, and she giggled. "Goodbye, Miss Laytonne."

She waved, and then she was gone. Nathan stared after her for a long moment before rejoining the others, the ribbon still in his hands. "A gift for her knight in shining armor?" Lang asked skeptically.

Nathan snorted. "Hardly. It's for Kiria."

"What's she planning to do?" Edgeworth asked, head inclined towards the door to indicate that he was speaking about Hermia.

"She's still leaving. It's really a shame, everything that happened to her."

Lang nodded. "She's been through a lot. But hey, she sounds like a strong woman. She'll definitely be able to pick up the pieces again, this time to form a new life." He closed his eyes, quoting from memory. "Lang Zi says, '_If it becomes necessary, starting over is better than perpetual weakness._'"

"Speaking of starting over, shall we see how my sister is doing?" Yoshiya suggested.

A general consensus rang out, declaring the idea a good one, and they moved the conversation into separate cars.

* * *

"Who's that?" Phoenix asked, peering through the window at the figures of a dark-skinned man and the young Asian attorney speaking with one another. The door was closed, barring any sound from escaping.

Nathan, who had just arrived with a white box in his hands, stared at the scene disbelievingly. "What's he doing here?"

"I believe the question was who he was, not what he was doing here," Franziska snapped.

"He was the judge for the trial that happened back at USC. The drug trial that Kiria was involved in. I didn't know that they kept in touch. But what's he doing here?" Nathan repeated, looking concerned.

* * *

"It's been nice, catching up and all, but I think I know why you're really here," Kiria said, looking into his eyes.

He chuckled. "Always a straight shooter, aren't you?"

"I find it gets the job done faster."

He leaned forward, all humor dropping from his expression. "You know, you look so much better than the last time I saw you."

"The last time you saw me, I was higher than a kite on Rydeine. Hopefully I look a little better."

He saw through her facade. "You can't deflect what you're feeling forever. There are little cracks in the armor you've built yourself, and while there aren't many, it's not hard to find one."

She jerked back like he'd burned her. "I'm not deflecting," she said mulishly.

"You haven't told anyone. According to your nurse, she was the one who told your siblings. You ignored your symptoms, pretending for as long as possible they didn't exist."

"So?"

"You can't get better like this! Pretending that there's nothing wrong will solve nothing!"

She glared. "I know there's something wrong! I'm not stupid; I can tell when something's wrong with me! There's nothing I can do to stop what I'm feeling, so there's no reason to take other people down with me."

He reached out to place a hand on hers. The appendage was cold and clammy against his warm skin. "They can support you. This has been a rough time; why not let someone else in?"

"Because letting someone else in obviously wasn't good enough last time, seeing as I've wound up in this situation again." She took her hand from his, crossing her arms like an impertinent child.

"Is that what this is about? You think you failed recovering last time? This isn't your fault, dear." His gaze softened as he appealed to reason. "You didn't relapse. You didn't do anything wrong. You were poisoned, and your body just so happens to recognize the poison. You're not in danger of relapsing. You're determined to stay clean, and I know you'll do it."

He'd stuck a sword in one of the chinks in her armor and twisted. Tears were starting to cloud her vision as what he was saying started to kick in. Without warning, she burst into a fit of sobs, hands covering her eyes and shoulders heaving. He got up from the chair and wrapped his arms around her as gently as he could. She was like splintered glass under his fingertips, broken but still so strong. Somewhere in the events of five years, she'd transformed from a small piece of coal to a diamond. But this new change, this acceptance, he understood. She was afraid of reverting back to that piece of coal. After all, being a diamond had given her so much more.

She didn't cry for long. It was only a minute or so until she started wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand, muttering apologies. "Don't apologize," he said, holding her at arm's length. "You did nothing wrong." He took a deep breath, wishing that he didn't have to do what he was about to do. "Unfortunately, this isn't purely a social visit."

"I guessed as much," she sniffled, chuckling despite herself.

"I told you the last time I saw you that a stipulation had been placed on your visa."

She watched him with dark eyes. "I couldn't get into drugs again. I had to stay clean. But the blood tests from the poison . . ."

"Right. They show you to have broken that stipulation. I'm sorry; I really am. If I could overrule it, I would."

She shook her head. "What do I have to do?"

"Just a small stint in rehab. You can even get out early if you exhibit good behavior." He winked conspiratorially.

"You make it sound like prison," she chuckled. "It'll be good for me. It's like an all-inclusive vacation without the alcohol. I was thinking of taking a few days off of work anyways. I can't exactly go in like this, can I?"

He shook his head. "I wasn't joking when I said you would recover. A wise man once told me that the heart recovers faster when it is accepted and not denied."

"Lang Zi?" she asked dryly.

"Hardly. My father was nowhere near the level of philosopher as Lang Zi. That doesn't make what he said any less true." He stood, walking to the door gently. "Be well, and be careful, Kiria. You've obviously made some enemies that aren't afraid to take action if they feel that you're in their way."

"This was merely the first strike. I hope that it makes us even."

"In my experience, it rarely does. Take care of yourself." He began to turn the knob, pausing for a second. "You have people who care about you out there. Don't shut them out."

"I won't. They're much too dear to me to do that."

He smiled and exited the room. Kiria watched after him with a small smile on her face. The smile only widened as her friends all congregated, Nathan presenting the cake he'd bought from her favorite bakery and Tessa showing up as if on cue with paper plates and plastic silverware.

Perhaps it was time to stop denying her heart. At least to the people who cared so much.

* * *

**A/N: Long chapter! But there is the finale of Turnabout Secrets! TA DA! How did everyone like the conclusion? It was a little strange coming from the side of the Prosecution, just because they have to prove so much less (despite our convictions of innocent until proven guilty). So, if things didn't feel like they had a pretty bow on top, that's why.**

**Oh, and everyone seemed to like the Nick/Klavier moment in the last chapter! I'm glad!**

**Just two more chapters to go until The First Strike is finished! Is anyone else super excited about it?**

**However, I'm going to stop trying to predict when I can get chapters up. Haha, my prediction skills are about as good as Larry's luck with the ladies. :D So, it'll be up sometime in the future.**

**Comments ::**

**Psykit: Thank you! I think part of it is finally having instruction in my writing, but the other part is that it has to be more mature with the story progressing the way it is. Good to know that you like it though! I'll have to keep that in mind!**

**Blaze: Awwww, it broke! You'll just have to try again, right? :D Yay, you liked the development of Yoshiya! I was a little skeptical about putting it in, but I thought Yoshiya needed some attention. He's kind of been a cardboard character until this moment. And I'm feeling so much better; thank you!**

**Blackwiddow: Oh, yes! Just a few more in this volume. xD After this volume, there will be approximately six more. So, hopefully, you really like it (because this is a full-length novel on its own; six more to go!). I'll include a real description of Nate in the final chapter (there's a reason why he hasn't had a lot of description, and I'd rather put that into my Q&A section at the end), so keep tuning in, and you'll get it!**

**Knightofdestiny: You don't like Klavier? I actually found him charming; I really liked him. c: I felt like he needed more screen time though; they tried to accomplish too much with his character in the short amount of time he was featured. I think that the friendship aspect of Nick and Edgeworth is usually conveyed strangely; people tend to make it obvious that they're friends and they spend time together like normal friends (which is sort of canon, if you read the manga), but there was never any hint at that in the games, which is what I wanted to capture. They're friends that haven't acknowledged one another's friendship, and they don't until it counts. Again, you're too kind with your praise! You can always send me a PM! I love to hear from my readers. I don't know much about AAI2, but I'll answer anything I can. c: **

**Read and Review, por favor? c:**


	44. Packing for Turnabout

**Chapter Forty-Three :: Packing for Turnabout**

"I'm going to see Kiria," Nathan mentioned, leaning up against the frame of Edgeworth's office door casually. "I'm sure she'd love to see you, if you'd like to come along. You mentioned you wanted to see her before she left."

Edgeworth looked up from the paperwork he was currently filling out. It had been a week since Elias Whitman's incarceration, and a mere day since Kiria Nomura had been released from the hospital. The final day of the trial had been the bleakest; afterwards, it seemed as if she'd gained a new outlook on the whole situation. He had a feeling it had to do with the judge who had spoken to her, but she wasn't revealing anything. She had just smiled cryptically and changed the subject. "I thought you were angry at her still," he said, reminding Nathan of the rage he'd flown into when Kiria had told him of the real problems she'd been facing.

Nathan flushed. "I apologized yesterday. It wasn't my place. She seems to be okay, for the most part. I just wish she hadn't hidden it from me."

"Well, to be fair, she hid it from as many people as she could. There was nothing special about hiding it from you." He paused, signing his name on the bottom of a form before looking back up at his apprentice. "I'm sure I could take off a few hours or so to see her. How's she adjusting to living alone?"

He chuckled. "She's irritated that Yoshiya feels the need to check in every hour or so, but for the most part, it's all been about getting packed. She's leaving in two days, and it's got her flustered, trying to box everything up."

"Does she need help?"

"Nah. Maya's been over there, helping out when she's got the free time, and she and Yoshiya made a good amount of progress yesterday." He shook his head. "The problem's been that she's still got that exhaustion she was originally diagnosed with. She's still working on getting her stamina up to normal."

Edgeworth made a noise of agreement, signing the last form in the pile. "If she's still having problems tomorrow, we should help, like we did with the Talent Agency."

"I'm sure she'll have it packed. Believe me; she's so anal about keeping everything neat and such, and she's been living there for less than a year. It's all about shoving it into boxes now." Nathan rolled his eyes. "Anyways, are you ready to go?"

"Indeed." Edgeworth stood, pulling his vest down and lacing his arms through his jacket before grabbing his keys and following Nathan down the hall.

* * *

_Knock, knock._ "Kiria? It's me!"

"Nate?" Her voice sounded strained. "The door's open—" She was cut off as crashes sounded from inside the apartment. Nathan flung the door open and was greeted with the picture of Kiria Nomura, dressed in an oversized sweatshirt and spandex shorts, hunched over with her hands protecting her head. A wall ornament was scattered on the floor, obviously the culprit of the noise.

"Are you okay?" he asked, making sure to slip off his shoes before running to her.

She was cursing, he could tell by her tone, but it was in Japanese, so exactly what she was saying was lost on him. "Yeah, I'm fine," she finally said, using his arm to steady herself. She rubbed her head with one hand, a chagrined expression on her face. "It was up a little too high, and I was stupid. That hurt," she whined.

"Lemme see," he said, prying her hand from her scalp. "No blood. You're fine."

She rolled her eyes before crouching down to pick up the various pieces from the floor. "I'm lucky it didn't break. Pass me that box over there?" she requested, putting everything inside of it when he did. "I'm just trying to figure out how I'm going to get all of this done by tomorrow! They gave me three days! Three! Who can clean out their apartment in three days—" she cut off, starting to rant in Japanese, and Nathan just pulled her into a hug, murmuring, "Uh huh. I know," all while shooting Edgeworth a look that said that he had no clue what he was doing.

After a moment of this, he cleared his throat. "Edgeworth offered our services tomorrow, if you don't think you can get all of this done," he mentioned.

She pulled back, a confused expression on her face. "Really?"

"Indeed," Edgeworth said dryly.

Kiria jumped five feet as she turned, not having realized he was there. She took a look down at what she was wearing, flushing a delicate shade of pink that was not at all unbecoming, but still conveyed the necessary embarrassment, and bowed deeply to her visitor. "I'm so sorry! I didn't even see you there! I—um—I'll go make some tea!" she announced, fixing Nathan with a glare for not warning her he was bringing anyone and practically running to the kitchen.

Nathan was chuckling. "I forgot to warn her," he explained.

"Kind friend," Edgeworth remarked with a necessary eye roll.

He made an unrepentant sound in the back of his throat. "She looks like she's almost done," he remarked, changing the subject. Edgeworth took a look around the room. The high ceilings already made everything seem bigger, but the walls were bare, and furniture was sparse, save the couch, armchair, and small table in front of the window overlooking the city. Everything had neutral colors for a clean look.

"What does she have left to pack?" he asked skeptically.

"The office is probably a mess. And I'm sure she's got clothes and stuff still. But she won't think she's near done until she's really done. She worries too much," he explained, collapsing down on the couch and taking the solitary book from on top of it. "Really? This is your idea of light reading?" he called to Kiria incredulously. "_Crime and Punishment_? Why not just take sleeping pills and be done with it?"

Kiria came back in, rolling her eyes as she set the tray down on the table. "For your information, it's a fascinating book. This is actually the second translation I've read; Yoshiya recommended this one." She took the tome from him, throwing it in the armchair before turning back to the tea. "I hope you don't mind that it's green tea; I just gave everything else to Maya for the office," she said apologetically, passing a cup to Edgeworth as he perched on the other end of the couch.

He reassured her that it was fine, watching as she poured Nathan's cup and then her own. Nathan waited until she had settled into the armchair and was sipping at her cup before changing the subject.

"Can I ask a question about the trial?" Nathan asked. Kiria rolled her eyes at him, chuckling.

"You can't keep on one thing for long, can you? What do you want to know?" she asked.

He leaned forward. "Why didn't Tessa come to the last day of the trial? Was it something I did or said? She didn't seem to be too busy; I mean, she partied with us that day. It's just been bugging me, that's all."

"You haven't realized it yet?" Edgeworth asked while Kiria shook her head at her friend's slowness.

"You talked about Tessa Rockweiler during the trial, remember?" she hinted.

He looked blank, but understanding quickly dawned. "She isn't—"

"She doesn't remember, of course. And you're not going to tell her. It's an accident that I found out. But when I knew you had my notes, I wanted to make sure she didn't have to go through that, so I asked her to stay at the hospital during the last day."

"She was married to Dwayne Rockweiler? Does she know that?" he asked incredulously.

She shook her head. "She thinks he was a coworker at the Medical Examiner's Office."

"So, now that he's gone . . ."

She sighed. "She doesn't know how much she should miss him. It's better this way, as much as I hate to say it." She emptied her cup, setting it back on the tray. "I hope he comes back soon though. Even if she doesn't remember everything, she knows there was something between them. Just in the few months before he disappeared."

"What a love story."

"Tragic ending. It'll be the beginning of a Nicholas Sparks movie if the hero ever decides to show up." She chuckled at her own joke before picking up the tray.

"Do you want any help with that?" Edgeworth asked, already rising.

She shook her head emphatically. "No, but thank you! You're a guest; you should be enjoying your stay!"

He walked with her to the kitchen anyways, Nathan following behind. "So, you're going home in two days. Excited?" the younger Prosecutor asked.

"I wish. I'm going to Gifu Prefecture for rehab; I'm not even landing in Tokyo. I might stop there on the way back here, but I'm not going until I get the green light. I want in and out as fast as I can." She submerged the teacups in soapy water as she talked, washing the dishes with efficiency. "But it'll be nice to talk my own language again and get back into my own culture. I'll admit that all of these 'Americanisms' were starting to grate on my nerves. Especially when I had to get my carpet deep-cleaned after that trial." She huffed in annoyance, rolling her eyes.

"I'd say that they're supposed to be more careful with things like that, but seeing as we don't even know who was in here, it's a little hard to vouch for their training," Edgeworth said.

Kiria shrugged. "It's not a big deal. It's all over now. I learned that keeping a drug in my medicine cabinet that I was previously addicted to was not a good idea, and we all learned that there are some secrets lurking out there, waiting to be uncovered."

"Scary thought," Nathan said.

"It's is a scary thought. But that's why we have the legal system." Edgeworth shoved his hands in his pockets, eyes falling on an empty picture frame sitting on the bar separating the kitchen and the living room area. "Most people put pictures in those," he pointed out, nodding to it when she looked at him in confusion.

She sighed. "I brought that home from the office yesterday. I'd asked Spark Brushel to send me a copy of that picture we all took when he did the interview with us, but he hasn't sent it to me yet. I was so excited to get it that I even bought a picture frame for it. But I still haven't received it. It's too bad too; I wanted to take it with me when I went to rehab." Her mouth was twisted into a frown as she looked at the steel frame wistfully. "But I'll just have to wait until I get back to harass him about it, I guess."

"I'll send it to you if I receive it," Nathan promised. "Of course, that all depends on whether or not you're going to send me letters this time."

She looked insulted. "Of course I will! What kind of friend do you think I am?"

"The kind that didn't get me a present when you came back last time," he teased.

She retorted with a snappy remark, and the conversation was lost in their banter. Edgeworth chuckled as he watched them. He'd expected there to be more ice between them because of Nathan's explosion only a week ago, but they seemed to be back to normal.

"Price," he eventually intervened. The younger Prosecutor looked at him questioningly. Edgeworth merely tapped his wristwatch. Nathan's face fell as he realized that it was time to end this conversation and get back to work.

"It's good to see you again, Miss Nomura," Edgeworth said as she walked them to the door.

"When is your flight? Why don't we all see you off?" Nathan suggested cheerfully.

Kiria nodded. "I'll text you the flight information when I get it." She flung her arms around her best friend and gave Edgeworth a smile. "Thank you both for stopping by!"

As they closed the door, Kiria allowed her smile to fade and her thoughts to be redirected to the stack of boxes awaiting attention. With a promise that she'd work extra fast as soon as she was done, she flopped back into the armchair and opened _Crime and Punishment_.

* * *

Two days later, Kiria was lugging her full suitcases into the Los Angeles International Airport. Two carry-on, two checked bags, and more than she would have liked for baggage fees, but she was packing for six months in highly temperamental weather. Not to mention that she was going to be there at the end of the summer well into the winter. Yoshiya was dragging his own bags behind him, and they checked into the terminal, receiving their boarding passes as they checked their luggage.

Franziska watched them, arms crossed over her chest. "It hasn't seemed like that long since the trial," she mused.

Nathan nodded. "It seems impossible that a week has already passed. Everything seems like it's back to normal again. Maybe it feels like it's been longer."

"I was thinking shorter," Maya disagreed. "I'm gonna miss her. It's not fair that she has to leave." Her eyes were already wet, despite the fact that they hadn't even started saying their goodbyes.

Phoenix put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed gently. "She has to do it," he reminded her, "fair or not."

"Okay, so you know that we're splitting when we land in Seoul. You'll go to Kansai, and I'll be headed for Narita Airport," Yoshiya was saying as they approached.

Kiria rolled her eyes at her older brother. "Yoshiya, I'm twenty-four, not fourteen. I know how to navigate my way around an airport."

"I'm just making sure that you know the drill," he said.

She ignored him, turning back to the small party that was seeing her off. Agent Lang had been called away for work already, and so he had bid her a farewell and a promise to visit if he was in the area. Gumshoe had stopped by her apartment with a gift of a Blue Badger stuffed animal as a gift from the Precinct. Tessa's shift had started just an hour earlier, but she had been more than happy to help the young woman finish the last-minute packing needed. Now she just had to say goodbye to her attorney friends, and she would be on her way.

She had to admit that she was a little hurt to notice that Miles Edgeworth was absent from the group. He'd promised that he would be there, and yet, it seemed that he had broken his word. She was distracted from her thoughts, however, as a young girl barreled into her legs. "Auntie Kiria!" she whined.

Kiria squatted down to Trucy's level, stroking the girl's hair back from her face. "What's wrong, honey?"

"I don't want you to leave!"

She chuckled, a smile settling on her lips as she explained. "I have to go back to my home. I'll be back before you even miss me."

"But I already miss you!" Trucy wailed.

"Well, that would be foolish, wouldn't it? I haven't even left yet!" She was trying to keep a cheerful expression on her face for Trucy's sake, but she could feel the tears accumulating behind her eyelids.

Trucy responded by throwing herself into the young woman's arms.

"What's your next move?" Phoenix asked Yoshiya.

The translator shrugged. "I'm taking a quick vacation in Tokyo, and then I'll see if one of the Consulates needs some translation work. In any case, I don't think I'll be leaving Japan for a while. I need some time to recharge."

"And you'll talk with your _friend_ some more?" Maya hinted.

"Nadeshiko? Absolutely." He glanced down at his sister, who was wholly engrossed in comforting Trucy, before continuing. "And I'll think about what you told me, Maya."

She grinned. "You'd better! You know I'm right." She winked.

"Well, I wouldn't go that far." He opened his arms for a hug, and she willingly obliged. "Take care of yourself," he told her as he folded her into his arms.

She nodded as she pulled back. Phoenix stepped in to give his apprentice's older brother the perfunctory one-armed manhug. "If you ever find yourself in LA soon . . ."

"I'll come by," he promised.

Kiria had finally succeeded in calming Trucy down, and she stood, still holding the girl's hand as she turned to Franziska. "Miss Von Karma," she started, not exactly sure what she was going to say yet.

Franziska merely gave an angry sigh and looked around. "Where is Miles Edgeworth?" she demanded. "He should have been here by now!"

Kiria shrugged. "I'm not quite sure. In any case, thank you for being here." Franziska's jaw clenched, and Kiria found herself trying to say more but not quite knowing what to say. She opened her mouth a few times, only to shut it again before she said something she would regret.

Franziska sighed, this time a dismissive one, and gave the defense attorney a hug. "Have a safe journey, Kiria Nomura," she commanded no less forcefully than normal. Kiria chuckled and returned the embrace.

"Thank you, Franziska."

Maya stepped in as soon as there was a release, squeezing all of the air out of her friend. "I'm gonna miss you sooooooo much!"

"Maya . . . air!" she gasped, trying to loosen Maya's grip enough to give her lungs room to expand.

Maya abruptly let go. "Oops! Sorry." She waited until Kiria had sucked in air again before turning on her best puppy dog expression. "I'm just going to miss you!"

"Says the girl who went back to Kurain for a month. You'll be fine; we both know it. You have more than enough on your hands trying to learn Trucy's new magic tricks and such. I'll be back before you know it."

"You'd better be right." Maya puffed up her cheeks, placing her hands firmly on her hips in a mock-serious fashion. "If I start to miss you, there'll be consequences when you get back."

"Giving her negative consequences when she gets back might not be the most effective way of getting her back, dear," Phoenix reminded her, reaching over to give his apprentice a hug. "But she's got a point. You'd better come back soon."

"I'll be back as soon as I can," she promised. "Until then, I need you to hold down the fort until I get back. That means no breakdowns, and no fights until I get back. Got it?"

"Absolutely. Have a safe trip." He gave her another hug before releasing her. Yoshiya was now trying to entertain Trucy, looking chagrined when she didn't immediately cheer up at his antics.

"Is it my turn?" Nathan asked when Kiria turned to him.

She nodded, throwing her arms around her best friend. "It's your turn. You'd better be safe and all that jazz. You just took down a member of an international crime ring, remember?"

"I'll be safe and all that. I think you made yourself a bigger target than I did, honestly." He stepped back and put his hands on her shoulders. "Have fun. And as soon as you're back in the States again, we'll get together."

She nodded, grinning widely. "And I think it'll be my turn to beat you in court next time we face each other. Every case can't be an Evangeline Illane case, you know." She punched his arm teasingly, and he laughed.

"Let's see you try." With a cocked eyebrow, he pulled her back in for another hug. "Have a safe trip, and I'll be waiting for your first letter."

"We can write you letters?" Trucy piped up.

Kiria nodded. "Of course! I'll write you the first one, and then we can go back and forth! Do you want to write letters, Truce?"

Trucy nodded emphatically. "Uh huh! I'll tell you all about my magic tricks! Each new one, okay?"

"I'll be waiting for it." She smiled, looking again at the small group in front of her and then at her watch. "Should we get going?" she asked Yoshiya.

He glanced at his own watch. "Probably. It's going to take forever to get through Customs." He looked at everyone, having just said his goodbyes. "I suppose this is it."

Kiria smiled sadly. "I'll be back in no time." She blinked back the tears threatening to run down her cheeks.

"One more hug!" Maya said, throwing herself at Kiria. Once she'd been released, Kiria took hold of both suitcases, waiting for Yoshiya to pick his own up, and turned to leave.

"OBJECTION!"

The use of the shout had her pausing, turning back around to look at the source of the sound. Kay Faraday was running up, Miles Edgeworth lagging just behind. Both looked out-of-breath, and Edgeworth was holding a small wrapped bundle. "You weren't going to leave without saying goodbye, were you?" Kay asked.

"You're here!" Kiria couldn't help but say.

"Miles Edgeworth!" Franziska chided. "Arriving so late is hardly polite!"

Edgeworth, still catching his breath, smoothed down the front of his suit, still holding the bundle. "Forgive me for my tardiness. I had something to take care of just before arriving." He looked between the brother and sister before handing Kiria the present in his hands. "For you. Consider it a farewell gift."

A wry smile made its way onto Kiria's face. "You were just trying to see if I could fit anything else my suitcase," she said, motioning to the stuffed luggage. "May I open it now?"

"Please, by all means."

She was someone, he noted, that took their time opening gifts. She tore along the lines, attempting to extract the present while keeping the wrapping paper as intact as possible. Her eyes widened as she realized what it was, and the tears finally ran over their barriers. "How—?"

"I had to call in a favor, but I thought that you might want a reminder of what you have here. It's a reason to come back, if nothing else."

Kiria looked down at the photo in the picture frame (which she'd thought she'd lost; it had been absent from her counter when she'd went to pack it), feeling water still running down her cheeks. "Thank you so much," she finally choked out, throwing her arms around him.

He patted her back. "You should also thank your brother. He was the one who managed to get the frame for me."

She pulled back, wiping her face. "I told myself I wouldn't cry!" she exclaimed, sniffling.

"I think you failed that one," Yoshiya said with a small grin.

The final goodbyes were said quickly as it became apparent that they needed to get through Customs fairly quickly or else they would miss their flight, and then the group watched as the translator and the young defense attorney walked away from them, disappearing around the corner.

"They're gone," Maya said quietly.

Nathan shrugged. "They'll be back. Besides, we have letters for the next six months. The postal service is quicker than one might think."

"I suppose." She paused, turning to Edgeworth. "How did you know to give her the photo? The one that Spark Brushel took so long ago?"

"She mentioned it. It wasn't that hard, honestly. Much less of a deal than it meant to her, certainly." He put his hands in his pockets, inordinately pleased with himself. "Now, shall we?" he asked, nodding towards the exit.

Maya took Phoenix's hand, and Trucy held his other one. Nathan slung a familiar arm over Franziska's shoulders, surprised when she only scowled at him. "It's time to go."

* * *

Two weeks later, Nathan was sprawled out on his couch, the newspaper in his hands, when he suddenly paused at a headline.

_Defense Attorney Found Dead in Studio_

_Arielle Holcomb, the owner of Holcomb and Co. Law Offices, was found dead in her studio apartment on Saturday. The Los Angeles Police Department has declined to comment on the event beyond saying that the evidence was currently inconclusive. If you have information that could aid this investigation, call . . ._

He shook his head. There may have been an exchange of an eye for an eye, but this wasn't the last strike. In fact, he had a feeling that this was far from the final one.

* * *

**Present Day**

"That's enough for tonight." Mr. Wright swept into the room as I removed the technology from my head.

I looked at him. "I don't get it."

"What don't you get?"

"I don't get what this has to do with her. I don't understand what I have to do. I need more information about her."

Mr. Edgeworth shook his head from the doorway. "Just trust us on this one. It's better this way."

I paused, fighting with the urge to argue and the urge to fall asleep right there. Fatigue had clouded my judgment; the last trial had been long. I wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball and sleep for the next week. "Alright," I finally conceded. "More tomorrow?"

"There will be more for you tomorrow, yes." Mr. Wright looked grave as he watched me stumble around in the dark room. "For now, get some sleep. You're going to want it for tomorrow's events."

I stopped suddenly. "Mr. Wright? Did Kiria Nomura ever go back to the painkillers?" I asked, suddenly realizing that the curiosity was too much to handle.

"Never." I was surprised to hear Mr. Edgeworth answer, and there was a strange vehemence in his voice. "She would have never forgiven herself if she had."

I nodded, placated. "I think I'm going to go back to my apartment now. Good night, Mr. Wright. Good night, Mr. Edgeworth."

"Have a good night, Apollo."

That night, when I got to bed, I found I couldn't sleep. I stared at the ceiling instead, wondering what Kiria Nomura had done next.

* * *

**A/N: The last real chapter! It's really a concluding chapter, and the next one will be a teaser for Volume 2 (which is incidentally already written, but I'm thinking of posting the final chapter with the first chapter of the next volume. Decisions, decisions. **

**I'm sure I missed wrapping something up in this chapter, so it may be revisited later.**

**Thank you so much to everyone who has been reading this. I hope to see all of you when the sequel starts! **

**Comments ::**

**BlackWiddow: Ah, close! It's señor (although I would be a ****señorita, as I'm not married and female). Close enough, though (Ah, the fun of being a polyglot!). Haha, I'm with you on the liking of criminals; even as a kid, I always liked the villains better than the heroes. Especially Disney villains, although Shan Yu was probably the exception. But no hero will ever beat my love of Maleficent and Hades (as historically inaccurate as the latter is . . .). So I understand liking Elias Whitman. I have to say, I liked him by the end too (I _really_ liked Arielle Holcomb; too bad she was fated to die). Well, we're almost at an end! One more chapter! Ah, I'm getting sentimental already!**

******Blaze: Haha, it was a twist that I added in at the end. You'd be surprised if you saw how this trial was supposed to begin and end. xD **

******Knightofdestiny: Thank you, my dear! I'm glad to hear that you like my OCs; they've both underwent a good amount of scrutiny with their characters, and I'm glad that they hold up to a fast-paced plot. In my opinion, Apollo Justice was weak compared to the Nick arc, but I think it's a good beginning game. With a sequel, I think it'll prove to be stronger; they raised a lot of questions that they failed to answer, merely implying a sequel. I think once that sequel comes along, it'll become much better. But, sadly enough, ever since the Nick arc ended, they've kind of went downhill from there (I think I've already expressed my dislike of GK1). Hopefully GS5 and the crossover game (which I'm SO excited for!) will make up for that.**

******FeytedintheTARDIS: Firstly, can I say that I LOVE your username? I giggled. Haha, unfortunately, with the timeline the way it was, it was impossible to show when Kiria got her hands on the pin. I'll leave you to think about how she got it. Thank you so much for the praise, and I hope to hear from you again! Welcome to the fanfic!**

******Read and Review!**


	45. Epilogue: The First Strike

**Epilogue :: The First Strike**

_In an unspecified location . . . _

Her breath came in and out uneasily, and she panted as she attempted to claw her way back to the chair. Sweat dripped from her damp forehead and hair. Tears stung at her eyes, another reminder of her failure, but she couldn't think about that at the moment. It was the pain in her head—excruciating pain that took over all of her thought processes—that had emptied her lungs of all air.

"I thought I told you to take it easy." She hadn't heard the door open, but all of a sudden, strong hands were lifting her up, helping her over to the chair.

She shook her head regretfully. "We don't have time for me to take it easy."

"Still can't get through Nadeshiko's coding?"

She shook her head again.

"Well, from what you've told me about her, it doesn't sound like she leaves things half-baked. It's to be expected, I guess."

"Dammit! I didn't go through all of this just to fail at the last marker!" Frustration made her voice crack at the last syllable, her mouth forming the 'r' without voicing it.

He handed her a glass of water, making sure that his gloves had fully covered his hands before daring to set his hands on the cup. "Water. You're tired."

She rubbed her forehead, hoping it would alleviate the stabbing pain. "I need to try again tonight."

"You need to live through the week, otherwise Angie's not going to be happy with you. She's been planning this for nine months now. This is her brainchild."

"I know." Her voice was quiet, alarmingly so. "Just . . . I'm impatient."

He chuckled. "You loved him that much, huh?"

She looked pained at the idea. "I still do. But that's not enough."

"Well, remember Angie before you try to kill yourself again. You're crucial to the plot."

She nodded slowly. "It's not just for Angie. They've already killed two Nomuras; I won't allow them to kill a third." Her eyes were closed, imagining who-knows-what. He had stopped trying to figure her out; she was as large of a mystery now as she had been when they'd first met.

He was silent for a long moment, allowing her the moment. "What's the kid's name?"

"Apollo."

"Hopefully he doesn't screw things up."

She shook her head, eyes still closed. "If he's anything like his namesake, he'll do it right. The Hunter. The Seer."

"And right now, the only sun in the horizon."

She nodded. "That too." Her head drifted downwards of its own accord, and she closed her eyes, chin resting on her collarbone. "I don't see us getting out of here alive."

He patted her back gently and brushed some of the damp hair from her face. "Come on, just think positive. Tess is waiting for me to come back, and they're waiting for you. Mind over matter."

She nodded, rubbing her forehead. "I can't think straight," she murmured in concern.

"It's because you're exhausting yourself. Take it easy."

She drew her arm over her eyes, opening her eyes as soon as she felt stable enough to. "No. I've got to go back in. Nadeshiko had to have left a backdoor in there somewhere. I just can't see it."

He stared at her sadly. "You can't change the past."

"But you can change the future. And that's what I've got to do."

His lips pursed with enough tension to turn them white. "Make sure you have a future before you go on changing it, okay?" When she didn't answer, he merely sighed and walked away.

The door closed behind him as he exited, and she lifted her head, letting it flop back so she could stare at the ceiling. "Give me strength," she murmured in a modified prayer. "Give me strength to change a future that should have never happened in the first place."

* * *

**The Final Author's Note . . . **

**Well, as I write this, I'm desperately trying to keep myself from blubbering and making a mess of my keyboard. This has been an incredible journey, from beginning to end. To everyone who has undertaken the trek with me, I thank you so much for your kind words and your faith. This is a much more serious fanfiction than many on the site, and after an interesting start, it has all amounted to this. So, here are some facts:**

-This fanfiction officially started with what is now the second chapter on June 9, 2009. I was sixteen at the time. At that point, it was abandoned until 2011, where I realized that the idea for Kiria Nomura's story had never gone away, it just required refining. So, two months before my high school graduation, I picked it back up, working on it tirelessly through standardized testing and the International Baccalaureate program. The First Strike was officially finished on April 29th, 2012, during my first year of college. I am now nineteen.

-The First Strike is around 180,000 words. According to Google, that's approximately the same length as Bram Stoker's Dracula. It's around 400 pages, double-spaced with a standard font. By reading this fanfiction, you have read an incredibly long novel.

-After 45 chapters, Fanfiction counts that this has received 8,690 hits. Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 have the most with around 1,500 hits. As I write this, the average amount of hits per chapter is 197.5 hits. With almost 200 hits per chapter, I am forced to conclude that I have the most awesome readers ever. 17 people have marked this as a Favorite Fanfiction, while 13 have it on Story Alert. There are an average of 2 reviews per chapter, which is an excellent amount for an OC-centric story.

-The USA and the UK battle for the amount of most readers per month. Overall, The First Strike has an excellent international following, with an average of 14 countries visiting per month. In April, 23 countries had visited this fanfiction.

**As an author, I've attempted to put in some things for my readers to pick up on. Here are the puns, inside jokes, problems, and even some of my favorite lines from it all.**

**Prologue: **This actually wasn't added until September 11, 2011. While adding in the Apollo Justice frame had been in my mind for a while, I was worried about how later volumes would accommodate it. I eventually wrote it to add another layer to the narrative.

**Chapter One: **Kiria's name is random; it's not a normal Japanese name. However, the Greek word Κυρια (Kiria) means "Lady". It's pure coincidence.

Kiria is described as a Dancer-turned-Prosecutor-turned-Defense Attorney, although the Prosecutor portion was never explained.

"One step for a man, a leap for mankind." This is a similar quote to Neil Armstrong's first words on the moon.

Livia Prince's name was originally Dahlia Prince. Due to the importance of Dahlia Hawthorne in the series, I decided to change it.

**Chapter Three: **This chapter originally ended with Kiria kissing Edgeworth on the cheek. Because I felt like that would be too out of character for both of them, even as intoxicated as they were, I eliminated it, having him merely go back to his paperwork after helping her to the couch.

**Chapter Four: **Kiria was originally the one to throw a fit in front of the door after Phoenix's disbarring, not Maya. Also, any of the German that the Gavin brothers speak is all from Google Translate and Apollo Justice. I don't know a word of German beyond one through ten.

**Turnabout International: **Honestly, I screwed this case up. The Evangeline Illane case was supposed to be the only case during this, but I'd forgotten that the Edward Ross trial was in progress when Phoenix was disbarred. Had I realized this, I might have adapted the Edward Ross case to include Evangeline Illane. It ended up to be a huge mess to plan, and that was before I'd created a Court Record for myself with all of the evidence written out and such. It was more confusing than it should have been.

Originally, Ava Kutsch (who ended up being Natalya Korovina) was going to be Evangeline Illane, and Kiria was going to win the trial. At the last moment, I changed it, forcing Kiria to lose and eventually feel betrayed by Reiko Horiyama. This explains the line in Chapter Five where Reiko is begging Kiria to take her case and says, "_Nomura, don't fail me on this. You know I can't be declared guilty; my daughter is having her first child soon. I promised I'd be there."_

Daryan Crescend was going to be the Detective on the Horiyama case before I decided that Gumshoe was a better choice because of his disposition.

Calling Kiria a "Warrior of Truth" was originally influenced by my Theory of Knowledge class, in which my Philosophy teacher would call us all "Warriors of Truth." It seemed to fit.

Violet Harmond's name came from Mark Harmond's (NCIS) name. My parents were watching NCIS, and I happened to glance up just when I needed a last name.

Ralph Shiller is undoubtedly my favorite witness in the series.

The ending to the Edward Ross case is my least favorite ending to a case. It's probably my least favorite case as well.

Maya can hear Madeleine Hamarch, but she can't see her. In the original draft, it was the other way around. I thought hearing spirits would be more likely for a spirit medium (don't ask me why; it made better sense in my head that way for some reason).

My favorite line from Turnabout International is:

_"Th—That's—That's her! That's my mom! That's Evangeline Illane!" Her finger was pointed out and Kiria could have cried._

_"B—But she's Asian! All you could tell me yesterday was that she had dark hair!" Kiria protested._

_Madeleine shrugged. "I didn't think it was a detail that mattered."_

**Chapter Sixteen: **I've thought many times about making the conversation between Edgeworth and Phoenix into a one-shot. It's one of my favorite scenes.

**Chapter Seventeen: **The scene between Maya and Phoenix was completely based off of the line, "You're the Pink Princess to my Steel Samurai." I'd thought of it while planning Turnabout International and was dying to use it in the fanfiction.

Kiria references Hashima City when describing Kurain Village. This is a shout out of sorts to my host family in Hashima.

**The Translated Turnabout: **I saw this trial as very similar to the Steel Samurai case in the first game. Little did I know that it would turn into a very close second for my favorite case of this volume. I wanted to play with Nathan a little more. The original situation was that Nathan dragged Kiria to Washington DC to defend Sine Hawkins, who had been his mentor when he had studied International Law for his Juris Doctor. However, because we'd just come off of a very attorney-intensive case with Turnabout International, he was changed to an Ambassador. The inclusion of Interpol and the incorporation of GK1 in the trial was a last-minute decision. In addition, Lea Chaudery was never supposed to be in the US; she was originally a girl that Sine and Maks were fighting over back in Cohdopia.

Kiria's ringtone that wakes her up at the beginning of the chapter is Namie Amuro's _Girl Talk_. This would have been a very old song when the story was set.

_Winter Sonata_, the K-drama that Kiria watches on the plane to Washington DC, is a very popular drama in South Korea, and its popularity is quickly sweeping into Japan and causing a Korean Wave.

_"Grazitaime," _the word of thanks that Sine Hawkins says, is not a word in any language. I see Cohdopia as an Eastern European country, where a Latin-based language is less common, but still possible, and so it has the same root as the Spanish "_gracias_" and Italian "_grazi_." However, it's a word of my own creation (and as far as I know, the only Cohdopian word to ever be written in the Roman/Latin alphabet). I later categorize the language as a tonal language, which means that the earlier thanks is lacking tonal markings. Oops.

The area code for Cohdopia, 383, is not a real international area code.

Franziska's phone type, the Cranberry, is an obvious play off of the Blackberry.

Mariko's fashion line name is _Purimabera_. This is a Japanese adaptation of the Spanish word, "_Primavera,_" which means Spring.

The movie that Kiria finds in Sine's apartment, _The Girl with the Koi Piercing_ is a play off of Stieg Larsson's _The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo._

The bar that Kiria and Nate hit during the trial, Bar21, is a real bar, although I must have messed up when I researched it, because it's in New York City, not Washington DC.

The nurse that tends to Nathan after Franziska sends him to the hospital was the first draft of a character from an unposted _Sherlock_ fanfiction. Hopefully it'll be up one day, so you can see the differences between Tana and Thea.

My favorite line from this trial is:

_"You wouldn't happen to have any alcohol on you, would you?" [Nathan] asked suddenly, hope written across his face in large letters._

_Yoshiya cocked an eyebrow. "Sorry. Next time I'll remember to bring the scotch."_

_"No, no! It's for Dichromate residue, not to drink . . ." His voice trailed off as he realized Yoshiya was pulling his leg again. "Damn, now I can see how you two are related."_

_"Stunningly good looks? Excellent taste in clothing?"_

_"No, the inability to stop running your mouth."_

The panic that Nathan has when he returns to the hotel room and finds Kiria on the couch with aspirin scattered on the floor was foreshadowing to the drug addiction explored in Turnabout Secrets.

The first flashback was originally written in 3rd Person Limited view. I later changed it to a 1st Person, mostly because I missed writing in it. This will be the pattern for all flashbacks and major testimony in the future.

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: **The line, "Who knows how many doorknobs I licked when I was drunk?" is an inside joke; my younger brother is constantly getting colds, so we tease him that he licks doorknobs and handrails, and that's why he's always sick.

**Turnabout Secrets: **This was one of the original trials in the series, and it ended much differently than it was originally supposed to. In the original draft, in order to prove her innocence, Kiria forces herself to overdose again while being monitored in order to gauge her tolerance levels. Because this was so unlikely and incredibly morbid, I cut it, forcing the other ending instead. Also, originally, Nathan was the only one who didn't know about her struggle with the drugs again. In the final version, Edgeworth, Mariko, Yoshiya, and Tessa are the only ones who know, although it's implied that Maya also knows. Also, Hermia Laytonne's plot arc was unplanned until the last moments.

Hermia and Lysander are the original lovers from Shakespeare's _A Midsummer Night's Dream_. This was supposed to mirror the relationship between Hermia and Lysander and how he moved on to her sister, Angela (in AMND, Angela would have been Helena; her name was changed for the reader's clarity). Laytonne is a play off of Layton. Both Layton and Triton are the last names of the protagonists in the _Professor Layton_ series by Level-5. Whitman was named for the poet Walt Whitman, although any relationship to the poet was coincidental.

Franziska's line, "It's more that I've seen people die without the truth being revealed" is a reference to Misty Fey's death in 3-5.

"[Edgeworth] knew how it felt, how it festered under the skin until it was beyond any emotion normal people were able to feel, he knew how it ostracized the person who felt it, like a giant red "A" on his breast" is a reference to Nathaniel Hawthorne's _The Scarlet Letter_.

Shakespeare lovers should be able to guess Lysander's brother's name from Edgeworth's description, "Edgeworth remembered from the case files that Lysander had a brother, although he couldn't remember the name. It started with a D, and it was just on the tip of his tongue . . . ." It's Demetrius, another one of the protagonists from AMND.

A lot of people thought that Nathan's Trance State was a lot like Apollo's power for some reason. I thought it strange.

I don't really have a favorite line from this one. It was a little heavier than I would have liked, but we were dealing with heavy topics.

**Chapter Forty-Three:** _Crime and Punishment_, the book on Kiria's couch, was originally a photo album in the first draft of the chapter. I cut it out because I felt it dragged the chapter down.

**Did everyone get all of those? There are a lot of them, now that I write them all down!**

**I'm wrapping this up with quick announcements and thanks!**

**Firstly, if you want the localization of GK2 (AAI:ME2, for those who aren't aware of the Japanese names), Operation: Objection at Capcom-Unity is working towards that goal. If you feel strongly about it, I encourage you to sign the petition and get involved. After all, localization isn't impossible; we have a crossover game coming our way!**

**Secondly, I'd like to extend my deepest gratitude towards Psykit, who has been the closest thing to a beta reader this fanfic has had. Secondly, I believe that Blaze has the record for most comments on this work, which is quite impressive, since he's been involved since chapter 20. Thank you both, and I hope that you both continue to read as the next six volumes come out!**

**I'd also like to thank all of my reviewers for their kind words (can you believe that I haven't received a single negative review? Something's got to change soon). So, a huge thank you to Psykit, Blaze, KnightofDestiny, BlackWiddow, FeytedintheTARDIS, PopPunkRocker4321, kaitlintheowl, Zorua, Zan, singstar101, TimelessBlade, Blinth, An Anonymous Person, hilariaxd, T0day, JJ334, and Selene! Every single one of your reviews has gone towards making this fanfiction better in some way.**

**Finally, I now have an Author's Tumblr. I'll post up short stories that don't go on FF, updates on chapters, and other stuff that I like. It's Melodycanta (dot) tumblr (dot) com. So, follow me, and I'll try to keep you entertained!**

**This author's note is drawing to a close. I'll post up the new volume in a few days, so keep an eye out for it!**

**The final Comment section (Any comments on this chapter won't be replied to. If you want a reply, you'll have to PM me. But, don't fret; if you post, I WILL read them, and smile the whole way. Remember, your comments have shaped this story, and they've cheered me up countless times)!**

**FeytedintheTARDIS: Haha, you can praise me all you'd like. I will never get old of it. :D So, keep it coming! I'm not a huge fan, but I've got friends who are obsessed with it. You pick up a thing here and there. I can proudly say that I do have a first Doctor, though. Haha, you'll just have to see what comes!**

**Blaze: Thank you~ I'm so glad you've enjoyed it so far! Although I can't say that it's gone by quick for me; it's a lot of painstaking hours of work. This fanfic has been a labor of love, and I'm just glad that you've loved the ride as much as I have.**

**For the final time in The First Strike, Melody Canta signing out!**


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